Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested senior PTI leader and former federal minister Senator Azam Swati. Family sources on Thursday said that Azam Swat was taken into custody by the FIA personnel from Chak Shahzad during a late-night raid. Azam Swati was arrested in connection with money laundering and foreign funding case. The FIA has nominated 11 party office-bearers including PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in the foreign funding case. Confirming the development, Babar Awan said the government had arrested Azam Swat in the dark of the night. The FIA wasted no time and produced Azam Swati before district and sessions court in Islamabad and sought seven-day physical remand of the former minister.

However, Senior Civil Judge Shabbir Bhatti approved physical remand for two days and directed the FIA to produce the accused on next hearing after his complete medical check-up. The court was told that Swati was arrested by the FIA’s Cyber Crime Cell. The court ordered immediate medical check-up of the PTI leader. A team of Babar Awan, Sardar Masroof Khan and Qaisar Jadoon represented Azam Swati in the court, who told the judge that the former minister was arrested only on political grounds and he was brutally tortured during the night. As the court reserved its ruling on FIA’s plea for physical remand, the Agency personnel took Azam Swati to PIMS Hospital for his medical check up.  Reacting to Azam Swati arrest, PTI leader and former federal minister Asad Umar has condemned his arrest and demanded his immediate release.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP