Lahore, (Samajweekly) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Saturday that he hopes the new military leadership, after the retirement of former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, will “disassociated from the eight months of Bajwa’s fascist actions against PTI, the media and critical journalists”, local media reported.
In a series of tweets, the former premier claimed that the “entire nation was shocked at the vindictive cruelty” PTI Senator Azam Swati was being subjected to and questioned what his crimes were, Express Tribune reported.
“For intemperate language and asking questions which is the right of anyone in a democracy,” Khan asked, the report said.
He said that internationally, Pakistan and its military were being perceived “increasingly negatively” because the incumbent federal government was “seen as a mere puppet government”.
Khan said that “74-year-old Senator Swati must be released immediately, not only because he committed no crime to deserve this mental and physical torture”, but because the “petulant and vengeful targeting” was undermining the military’s credibility.
Last week, Senator Azam Swati was taken into custody for the second time after a raid at his farmhouse in Chak Shahzad by the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing in Islamabad for allegedly tweeting against senior military officials.
He was later produced before a judicial magistrate, who handed him over to the FIA on a two-day physical remand.
Moreover, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) prohibited the broadcast and rebroadcast of Swati’s speeches, news conferences and his media coverage, including as a guest at a talk show, statements or tickers, on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect, Express Tribune reported.
