Elahi sent to Adiala jail on 14-day judicial remand

Elahi, other PTI leaders were booked for their alleged attack on cops outside the Federal Judicial Complex, Islamabad

By Khalid Iqbal

September 09, 2023

PTI leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi while speaking in an interview. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Friday sent PTI leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to the Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand in the Judicial Complex attack case.

Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain rejected the prosecution’s request seeking 10-day physical remand of the accused and directed the police to present him again in the court on September 21. Elahi and other PTI leaders were booked for their alleged attack on cops outside the Federal Judicial Complex, Islamabad, earlier this year when the PTI Chairman Imran Khan attended a hearing.

On September 5, Elahi was rearrested hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended his detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and directed his release. The PTI leader has been arrested at least 11 times in various cases since the start of June, after a statewide crackdown was launched on the PTI in the aftermath of May 9 violence. On September 1, the PTI president was rearrested the same day the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the NAB to release him.

Justice Amjad Rafiq presided over the hearing of a corruption case moved against Elahi by the NAB, and ordered his release, barring the authorities from arresting the PTI leader.

Later, on his way home, Elahi was arrested by the Islamabad police from Canal Road, Lahore. His son Moonis Elahi termed the arrest ‘abduction’, saying it was against the orders of the high court. In June, the former Punjab chief minister was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Gujranwala on allegations of taking Rs15 million as bribe as speaker of the provincial assembly for making out-of-merit Grade 17 appointments in the provincial assembly.

However, he was discharged the next day, only to be arrested by the ACE in a similar case registered in Gujranwala region.

Then on July 17, Elahi was detained under the MPO for 30 days. He was detained after the Lahore deputy commissioner issued a 30-day detention following Lahore police’s written request.