Quash all cases against Swati, BHC orders for second time

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday again ordered to quash all the cases registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Swati in the province in regard with his controversial tweets.

This is the second time that the BHC issued a directive for the dismissal of Balochistan cases against Swati, who is facing charges of libel for using foul language against military officers in his tweets.

After restricting registration of more FIRs, the high court on December 9 ordered that all the cases registered against the politician in the province should be declared null and void.

Today, BHC's Justice Abdul Majeed Baloch ruled to quash the cases against Swati while hearing a petition related three new cases registered in Winder, Bela and Chaman.

SHC orders not to register cases

On December 15, the Sindh High Court also ordered that no cases should be registered against Swati in the province in the controversial tweets case. After this, Swati's custody was transferred to Islamabad Police.

Sindh Prosecutor General Faiz Shah said that the cases registered against the senator have been categorised as “C-class”.

Controversial tweets cases

Swati was booked in multiple cases across the country for his controversial tweets against senior military officers.

The senator was Senator Azam Swati being escorted by police after a court hearing. — PPI/File, on October 14, after he posted a highly-hateful and threatening message against the army chief, judiciary, and other state institutions, on his official Twitter account.

The senator had secured bail in that case. But on November 27, FIA once again arrested Swati for using abusive language against senior military officers, including former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

On December 2, Balochistan police arrested Swati for a similar case registered against him in Quetta.

At the time of his arrest, he was already on judicial remand in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, following his detention for a second time in the case of the controversial tweet. He was then shifted to Quetta under a transit remand acquired by the Balochistan police.

However, after the BHC issued directives not to register any more cases against Swati in the province and cancel all existing FIRs against him, Balochistan police handed him over to Sindh police.

He is currently in Islamabad police's cutody.