PTI senators stage sit-in in chairman's office

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senators staged a sit-in in the office of the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani over the non-release of Azam Swati’s production order, 24NewsHD TV channel reported Monday.

PTI senators accused the Senate chairman of bias and shouted slogans against him. Leader of Opposition Shahzad Wasim led the sit-in against the Senate chief.

Senator Faisal Javed said Sadiq is siding with the government while the latter told him that he was in Karachi to see his ailing father.

To a question by the senator, Sadiq said: “I’m the chairman of the house. Faisal Javed made a complaint to the senate chairman for not giving the floor to the leader of the opposition.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested senior PTI leader and former federal minister, Senator Azam Swati, last week.

Azam Swat was taken into custody by the FIA personnel from Chak Shahzad during a late-night raid.

Reportedly Swati was arrested in connection with money laundering and foreign funding case. The FIA nominated 11 party office-bearers including PTI chairman Imran Khan in the foreign funding case.

The FIA wasted no time and produced Azam Swati before the 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. Babar Awan, Sardar Masroof Khan and Qaisar Jadoon represented Azam Swati in the court and the judge was told that the former minister was arrested only on political grounds.