‘Moonis acquitted of Gujrat murder charge’

LAHORE: The murder and aiding-and-abetting charges against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Moonis Elahi in Gujrat have been proven false.

A press release issued by the media cell of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, former chief minister of Punjab and father of Moonis Elahi, stated that the court had cancelled the arrest warrants and proclamation order against Moonis following sworn statements from the plaintiff and witnesses.

The plaintiff, Muhammad Akram, and witnesses, Muhammad Asjad and Sajjad Ashraf, had submitted affidavits in court, asserting that Moonis Elahi was not involved in the case.

Moonis Elahi’s mother, Begum Qaisara Elahi, had filed an appeal against the charges.

Additional Sessions Judge Gujrat, Saifullah Tarar, heard the petition.

In her appeal, Begum Qaisara Elahi argued that the case, registered on June 29, 2023, was baseless since Moonis Elahi had been residing abroad since December 28, 2022. She claimed the police, acting with malicious intent, had falsely implicated her son and manoeuvred his arrest on September 14, 2023. A proclamation order was subsequently issued on September 19, 2023.

The plaintiff, Muhammad Akram, and the witnesses categorically stated in their affidavits that Moonis Elahi was not their accused and had no connection to the case. They further alleged that the police had maliciously involved him and obtained the arrest warrants unlawfully. They requested that all proceedings against him be dismissed.

Considering the statements of the plaintiff and witnesses, Additional Sessions Judge Saifullah Tarar accepted Begum Qaisara Elahi’s petition, cancelling the warrants of arrest and proclamation order against Moonis Elahi.A