Lahore court approves Parvez Elahi’s physical remand till Sept 2

An accountability court in Lahore on Tuesday extended the physical remand of Punjab’s former chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi till September 2, in a case about alleged kickbacks in development projects.

Earlier, officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced Elahi before Accountability Court Judge Zubair Shahzad Kiyani on the expiry of his physical remand.

Elahi had also challenged his arrest by the NAB in the Lahore High Court. The Punjab IGP, NAB, FIA, and others have participated in the petition.

The petition maintains that the accountability watchdog illegally upgraded the inquiry to an investigation without giving a call-up notice or allowing him to submit a statement.

It said the NAB illegally issued an arrest warrant and executed it.

The petition requests the Lahore High Court to declare the arrest by the NAB null and void.

“The court should order to stop Parvez Elahi’s arrest in undisclosed cases.”

During the proceedings in a NAB case of alleged corruption in development schemes against the former CM, lawyer Amjad Pervaiz said if Moonis Elahi committed a wrongful act, his father could not be held responsible for it.

Moonis Elahi is independent and self-reliant in his work. Higher court verdicts also say the same, he told the accountability court.

The counsel says the prosecution has made some vast allegations, adding that they should also be asked to provide documents related to the claims.

The accountability court of Lahore has reserved its verdict on the application for the physical remand of Elahi. The NAB sought the PTI president’s physical remand.

Elahi’s lawyer requested to declare his client’s arrest illegal.