IHC suspends Parvez Elahi’s detention, orders his release

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended on Tuesday the detention of former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri took up Elahi’s plea to set aside the detention order and issue directives for his release. Secretary Interior, IG Police and others were made respondents in the plea.

During the hearing, the judge ordered the release and also issued a notice to the duty magistrate who ordered Elahi’s detention.

Judge Jahangiri ordered Elahi not to issue any kind of statement until the next hearing. The hearing has been adjourned till September 12.

On September 1, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president was rearrested the same day the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release the former chief minister of Punjab.

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

Later, on his way back to home, Elahi was arrested by Islamabad police from the Canal Road in Lahore.

His son Moonis Elahi termed the arrest ‘abduction’, saying it was against orders of the high court.

In June, the former Punjab CM was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Gujranwala on allegations of taking Rs 15 million as bribes as the speaker of provincial assembly for making out-of-merit appointments on grade-17 posts in the provincial assembly.

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

Then on July 17, Elahi was detained under the MPO for 30 days.

He was detained after Lahore deputy commissioner issued a 30-day detention following Lahore police’s written request.

The police said Elahi had the “potential to disrupt the public peace and tranquility and to provoke people illegally for taking law into their hands”.