Elahi in ACE custody on one-day transit remand

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Monday handed former chief minister of Punjab Ch Pervaiz Elahi to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on a one-day transit remand.

The PTI president was presented before Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain. The anti-corruption authorities, who arrested Elahi shortly after his release from the Adiala Jail, had filed an application requesting the transit remand.

Elahi’s counsel lawyer Sardar Abdul Razzaq argued that his client was accused of recruiting his own staff which was not a criminal act. “Can’t a chief minister appoint his own chief secretary?” he asked.

Razzaq argued that a CM had the authority to appoint his staff and that Elahi was discharged from a local court pertaining to this case. He further claimed that his client had been subjected to political revenge since January given how he’s arrested each time he is discharged from a courtroom.

“How appointing a person named Muhammad Khan as chief secretary is 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.

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 over to the Punjab ACE on a one-day transit remand. PPP adds: Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Akbar Nisar Khan for not appearing in the court in a contempt plea hearing regarding arrest of former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi despite his release orders issued by the court.

Expressing its dissatisfaction with the answers of DIG Operations Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and DIG Investigation Imran Kishwar, the court summoned both of them for October 2 for indictment. The court also issued bailable arrest warrants for the Islamabad chief commissioner. It also issued a show-cause notice to the superintendent of police (SP) concerned for not producing the Islamabad IGP. It also issued arrest warrants for the Attock jail superintendent over non-appearance.

The same court Monday fixed October 2 for framing charges against DIG investigations and operations Lahore police in a contempt plea in former Chief Minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi arrest case.

Both police officer submitted their written replies before the court which were rejected by the court.

The court issued orders while hearing a plea filed by petitioner Qaisara Elahi, wife of Pervaiz Elahi, seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the top government officials over allegedly disobeying LHC’s order that had restrained NAB, any other authority, agency, and office from arresting and detaining the former CM under any law even relating to preventive detention.

However, Elahi was arrested shortly after his release by Islamabad police. The Lahore High Court Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf also issued bailable arrest warrants for chief commissioner Islamabad, superintendent Attock jail, and non-bailable arrest warrants for inspector general police (IGP) Islamabad after they did not appear before the court despite a clear order to ensure their presence.