A district court in Quetta remanded PTI Senator Azam Swati for five days.
A week earlier, the FIA arrested Swati in Islamabad for tweets critical of the military. The FIA arrested him for violating Section 20 of the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca), which deals with crimes against a person’s dignity.
Swati’s detention is the second time in less than two months over comments against military commanders.
In Balochistan and Sindh, FIRs were registered against him for “derogatory language” and “provoking the people against the army.”
After the judicial magistrate of Islamabad turned him over to Balochistan police, the senator was flown to Quetta on a special jet amid strict security.
From Quetta airport, he was brought to an undisclosed location and handed over to Balochistan Police on travel remand, Dawn said. Authorities were asked to show him before the court on December 4. (today).
Swati appeared before duty magistrate Sattar Bugti today in a Kuchlak Police Station case. Police are requesting a 10-day physical remand.
The magistrate granted 5-day physical remand.
PTI leader Qasim Suri claimed outside court that Swati’s FIR was “baseless” after her remand was approved. He said they’d contact lawyers before approaching the top court.