Senator from Imran Khan’s party arrested over remarks about Pakistan Army

Imran Khan said he was shocked at Azam Khan Swati's arrest and said Pakistanis should raise their voices against what he called state fascism

Federal police in Pakistan have arrested a senator for comments critical of top military officers, colleagues from his Tehreek-e-Insaf political party said Sunday. It was the second time he was taken into custody in as many months.

Azam Khan Swati, a senior member of the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan who represents Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was picked up early Sunday from his residence in an Islamabad suburb hours after he addressed an Imran Khan-led rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Mr. Swati was charged with libel and appeared before a judge Sunday who allowed the Federal Investigation Agency to interrogate the senator for two days. He was being held at a facility in Islamabad.

Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari said a team of FIA officials detained Mr. Swati after he pressed the outgoing army chief on details of his financial assets.

"Seems freedom of speech in Pakistan today is reserved for the powerful state, be it in a press conference, a public address, a press statement or on social media. For the rest, including parliamentarians, this right is denied,” Ms. Mazari said.

Federal authorities were not immediately available for comment.

The Federal Investigation Agency, headquartered in the capital Islamabad, is a border control, criminal investigation, counter-intelligence and security agency under the control of the Interior Secretary, according to its website.