15 October 2022
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
A court in Islamabad granted the Federal Investigation Agency physical remand of PTI Senator Azam Swati for another day over tweets against state institutions while police in Lahore summoned Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to join investigations on October 18 in connection with an anti-terrorism case for inciting religious hatred against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan.
Aurangzeb was booked alongside fellow party leader and federal minister Mian Javed Latif by Green Town police station on the complaint of a prayer leader, Irshad-ur-Rehman, on September 19. Pakistan Television Managing Director Sohail Khan and programme producer Rashid Baig were also nominated in the case for broadcasting Mian Javed Latif’s press conference on PTV channel.
In a summons issued under Section 166 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Incharge Investigation Officer of Sabzazar Police Station Inspector Adnan Bokhari directed Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to appear at the police station for interrogation into the case on October 18.
A copy of the summons available with Voicepk.net also listed the names of Mian Javed Latif, Sohail Khan, and Rashid Baig, the other co-accused in the case, to appear at Sabzazar police station on the same date and time.
On October 14, the Islamabad High Court granted protective bail to Latif in a terrorism case till October 27. However, it could not be confirmed whether Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb would approach the high court for bail or join police investigations in the case.
The PTI-led Punjab government and the PML-N-led federal government have registered cases against each other leaders over a possible showdown to the PTI’s long march to Islamabad. The federal government arrested PTI leader Azam Swati in a sedition case for tweets against Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa on Oct 13. It also previously arrested PTI leader Shahbaz Gill over charges of inciting mutiny in the armed forces while speaking in a show on a private news channel. Gill was later released on bail by the Islamabad High Court.
Similarly, the Punjab government has reopened a graft case against Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah. Last week, a Rawalpindi court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the minister twice on the request of the provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment.
However, the ACE teams have failed to arrest Rana Sanaullah failed to arrest from Islamabad due to a lack of cooperation by the Islamabad police.
On October 14, the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court on Friday suspended Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s arrest warrant in the ACE inquiry related to the purchase of plots in a housing society at a throwaway price.
Reportedly, former Punjab home minister Hashim Dogar was forced to resign his office after the PTI leadership felt that he was not dealing sternly with PML-N leaders who had ordered the lodging of cases against PTI leaders in the brief Hamza Shebaz government in the province.
The newly appointed Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister on Home Affairs Omar Sarfraz Cheema said that Rana Sanullah would be arrested if he entered Punjab.
On Saturday, a court granted the Federal Investigation Agency physical remand of PTI Senator Azam Swati for another day. He was taken to the PIMS Hospital for a medical examination after which he was presented before the court amid tight security.PTI leaders have alleged that Azam Swati was tortured during custody.
