Islamabad: The High Court granted bail to Azam Swati in the controversial tweet case and ordered his release.
The Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court issued a safe decision, in which PTI leader Azam Swati’s post-arrest bail application was granted and ordered to be released.
Earlier, after hearing the arguments of the parties, the court had reserved the decision on post-arrest bail application in the controversial tweet case.
Azam Swati’s lawyer Dr. Babar Awan appeared before Chief Justice Amir Farooq in the High Court. On this occasion, Senator Shibli Faraz and other PTI leaders were also present in the court. Deputy Attorney General Arshad Mehmood Kayani told the court that the special prosecutor did not come today, on which the Chief Justice said that it is an FIA case, there is no need for them.
During the hearing, Azam Swati’s son appeared in the court and pleaded that my father has written a letter from the jail to send the case to another bench. The Chief Justice remarked that such letters are not generally seen by the court. A larger bench has been constituted to settle the matter once and for all. The lawyer requested that the court hear it today.
The Chief Justice said that our senior judges are on leave, will constitute a larger bench for next week. Lawyer Babar Awan told the court after being given time for counsel that I have been instructed to withdraw the letter, upon which Azam Swati’s son Barrister Usman withdrew the letter after consulting Babar Awan in the court room.
Later, Dr. Babar Awan started arguments in the case in front of the Chief Justice and took a position that the High Courts of Sindh and Balochistan have closed the cases against Azam Swati. He took out a complaint from his pocket and made a case. I have never seen an FIR in which the time and place of occurrence is not written.
The Chief Justice while talking to Babar Awan said that you are saying that the SOPs were not followed? To which the lawyer replied yes of course! I have to tell them what are the charges against me. There is no due process in this case, so where will the fair trial come from?
The lawyer said in arguments that the decision was written in the PFUJ case regarding the journalists who were threatened. The order in the PFUJ case stated that FIA SOPs will be taken into account. There is no good or evil in the eyes of the law unless proven guilty. Is there any statement that he said that he wants to kill someone because of my statement?
During the hearing, the Deputy Attorney General requested more time for arguments, the court inquired what is the position of the challan. The FIA said that the challan has been submitted on December 24, and the hearing is scheduled for January 3 tomorrow. The Deputy Attorney General said that he has committed the crime again and a case is pending before. FIA said that Azam Swati has not surrendered his Twitter account.
The court told the FIA officials that you had already completed the physical remand yourself. The court asked whether there is any chance of tampering. The court asked the lawyer to tell about the recurrence of the crime. FIA said that Azam Swati did not deny the tweet.
Later, the Islamabad High Court reserved its decision on Azam Swati’s bail application, which was later released. In which the court granted the bail application and ordered the release of Azam Swati on a bond of 2 lac rupees.
