ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) handed over Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to the Punjab Anti-corruption Establishment on a one-day transit remand.
Elahi was presented in the court of Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain. The anti-corruption authorities, who arrested the former Punjab chief minister shortly after he was released from Adiala jail, had filed an application requesting transit remand.
Elahi’s counsel lawyer Sardar Abdul Razzaq, in his arguments, stated that his client was accused of recruiting his own staff – an action that isn’t criminal, according to him. Can’t the chief minister appoint his own chief secretary? he asked. Razzaq argued that a CM has all authority to appoint his staff and that Elahi was discharged from a local court yesterday pertaining to this case.
Razzaq further claimed that his client has been subjected to political revenge since January given how he’s arrested each time he is discharged from a courtroom. “How is appointing a person named Muhammad Khan as chief secretary beyond his authority?” he asked.
Upon which the judge requested the date for when this inquiry began. Elahi’s counsel stated that DG Anti-Corruption is “making cases overnight” against the PTI stalwart. The Lahore High Court directed that Elahi cannot be arrested again, and yet they’re arresting him in new cases.
“Yesterday, a judge in Lahore also asked whether there’s any other registered case against Elahi and the prosecution said no,” he said.
Judge Zulqarnain further asked the prosecution to list down any other cases registered against Elahi. The judge reserved his decision and subsequently handed Elahi to Punjab ACE on a one-day transit remand.
Elahi on Sunday was arrested after an ATC in Lahore ordered his release while discharging him in a case of irregularities in the Lahore Master Plan 2050. He was held in a terrorism case and transferred to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi from Lahore.
Elahi’s counsel told media that the PTI leader had been rounded up at least 12 times since June 1 following the May 9 protests, which broke out across the nation after party chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan’s arrest.
He was presented in the court on Sunday following his arrest by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi a day earlier seeking his physical remand. The ACE had taken him into custody shortly after being released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
The court earlier reserved its decision on the ACE’s request. It later dismissed the request, discharging PTI president in the case.
“Prima facie, no incriminating material is available against the accused which can connect him with the commission of the alleged offence. Hence, the accused person namely Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is hereby discharged in this case,” the judgment read.
The court instructed the authorities to immediately release Elahi if he was not needed in any other case.
