- ACE says PTI president made 12 illegal appointments in Punjab Assembly
- Will not abandon the party at any cost, declares incarcerated PTI leader
GUJRANWALA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was re-arrested minutes after he was discharged by a local court from two corruption cases.
Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment spokesperson Abdul Wahid confirmed the development, saying the PTI leader was re-arrested in a case pertaining to illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly.
The ACE spokesperson claimed that Elahi made 12 illegal appointments of grade 17 officers in the Punjab Assembly.
“Failed candidates were given jobs by manipulating records in the Punjab Assembly,” Abdul Wahid said. “Fake testing services were used to benefit corrupt officials during the recruitment process.”
He further said fake appointments were proven in the anti-corruption inquiry in the Punjab Assembly. “There is clear evidence of corruption in the hiring process.”
Earlier, Civil Judge Musawwar Ashiq discharged Ch Pervaiz Elahi from two corruption cases registered by the Punjab ACE.
The court announced its verdict on the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s (ACE) plea seeking physical remand of PTI President Pervaiz Elahi.
The PTI President was produced in the court amid tight security by Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) officials.
He was produced in the court where ACE officials requested the court to grant them PTI leader’s physical remand.
The hearing was presided over by Civil Judge Musawwar Ashiq.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi was re-arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab in a corruption case on Friday evening, shortly after the Lahore court discharged him in a graft case.
Pervaiz Elahi asserts not leaving PTI
Speaking to the media in the court PTI President Parvez Elahi, who is currently under arrest, said that he won’t abandon the party “at any cost”.
Talking to the media outside a court in Gujranwala, Elahi claimed that he was kept inside a C-class jail last night and wasn’t given medicines.
He asked the PTI leaders and workers to stay firm, saying the situation will change very soon.
Cases being registered against Elahi under ‘agenda of revenge’
Soon after the re-arrest of PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in Gujranwala in yet another case, his son Moonis Elahi said cases are being registered against the former Punjab chief minister under an “agenda of revenge”.
“Previously, they were harping about corruption. After he was discharged in a graft case registered in Lahore and another two in Gujranwala, they have now arrested him in a case pertaining to appointments in the Punjab Assembly,” he tweeted.
‘PA secretary arrested in illegal appointments case’
Punjab Assembly Secretary Rai Mumtaz Hussain has been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in a case pertaining to illegal appointments in the provincial assembly, says ACE spokesperson Abdul Wahid.
He said Hussain was arrested after the allegations against him were proved.
“He made illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly in collusion with Parvez Elahi,” the spokesperson added,
Elahi’s spokesperson Iqbal Chaudhry released
Hours after he was arrested from outside a Gujranwala court, Pervaiz Elahi’s spokesperson Iqbal Chaudhry was released by the police later in the day.
Lawyer laments imprisonment of his client in a lock-up
Advocate Mukhtar Ranjha, the counsel for former Punjab CM Parvez Elahi, expressed his disappointment that his client was confined to a lockup and argued that he deserved better treatment.
During a media interaction in Gujranwala, the legal counsel claimed that Pervaiz Elahi was facing pressure from the caretaker Punjab government, which was also arresting his supporters to discourage their support.
The counsel emphasised that there was no evidence against his client.
‘Witch hunts’ against political leaders will take their toll’
PTI leader Faisal Amin Gandapur has said that the “witch hunts against political leaders and workers” would take their “toll” given that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police are already overburdened by the militancy and terrorism in the region.
Sharing fellow party member Taimur Khan Jhagra’s tweet in which he alleged his house was raided by police, Gandapur said, “Introduction of Punjab Police tactics against KP’s traditions and culture is sad.”
‘691 individuals arrested in connection with May 9 violence released’
PTI leader Ali Awan has said that 691 out of the total 716 individuals arrested in connection to 34 alleged false cases related to the May 9 violence in Islamabad have been released.
In a tweet, Awan assured that the remaining 25 workers would also be soon set free.
He emphasised that the party stands in solidarity with its workers during this challenging period.
