Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senator arrested for controversial tweets

ISLAMABAD [PAKISTAN]: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senator Azam Swati was arrested for the second time in two months. This time the arrest has been made because of his tweets that included strong language against Senior Military Officials including the outgoing army chief of Pakistan General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The complaint was filed against Swati and three other Twitter users named @Wolf1Ak, @HaqeeqatTV_20, and @Azaadi99. The complaint against them was filed by Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Technical Assistant Aneesur Rehman.

The First Information Report was registered under section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act 2016 (involving offences done to the dignity of a person), sections 500, 501 ( related to Defamation), section 131 (for preventing an army official from their duty), section 505 (statement with intent to cause public mischief), section 501 and section 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Panel Code, The Dawn reported.

According to The Dawn, in a chain of tweets over this month all the Twitter users including Swati were exchanging views that were defamatory to defense institutions of the country.

On November 19 @Azaadi99 shared a tweet that held military officials responsible for the current downfall of the country. To this Swati said Thank you.

On November 24 @Wolf1Ak tweeted 'tabdeli' or change must be started by clearing corrupt generals. To which Swati again tweeted thank you. On the same day, @HaqeeqatTV_20 tweeted something in regard to the retiring general Bajwa. To which Swati had replied in strong language. And on November 26 Swati tweeted that he will go after senior military officials on every forum possible.

In the FIR it was mentioned that these intimidating tweets were "mischievous acts of subversion to create a rift between personnel of armed forces to harm the state of Pakistan".

The FIR said that through the offensive tweets as well as the comments on instigating tweets, the accused attempted to seduce army personnel from their allegiance from their duties as subordinates," adding that this was a "calculated and repeated attempt" by Swati, The Dawn reported. In the past also Swati was arrested for his tweets in relation to spreading hatred for defense institutions in October this month.

In his address at the power show of PTI he had mentioned the tortures and beatings he had been put through during his previous arrest. And PTI chairman and former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had also mentioned the same matter on several other occasions. Several senior leaders like PTI Secretary General Asad Umar and Imran Khan have condemned the arrest of senator Swati.

Khan in regard to Swati's arrest said that he was shocked and also mentioned that he is horrified that how fast is the country turning into a banana republic, The Dawn reported.

These arrests come at a time when the PTI long march has been a major political issue in Pakistan and there have been numerous attempts for stopping it by the current regime of Pakistan.