The Anti-Corruption Establishment of Punjab (ACE) apprehended former chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Wednesday following approval from the anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad for a transit remand.
Initially, the ACE had sought custody of Elahi through a civil court, but the request was rejected. The court cited that the former Punjab chief minister was already under custody, and suggested approaching the ATC Islamabad. Elahi was in Adiala Jail on judicial remand in connection to the Judicial Complex attack case.
Elahi did not appear in the ATC for the transit remand hearing, but Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain accepted the request and handed Elahi over to ACE authorities on a one-day remand. Subsequently, an anti-corruption team took him into custody from Adiala Jail and transported him to Lahore.
In the same case, the ATC issued perpetual arrest warrants for ten PTI leaders, including Murad Saeed, Omar Ayub, Ali Amin Gandapur, Shibli Faraz, Farrukh Habib, Hammad Azhar, Ali Nawaz Awan, Hassaan Khan Niazi, and Umar Sultan.
Judge Zulqarnain explained that the issuance of permanent arrest warrants resulted from the accused’s repeated absence from the court. He declared the accused as proclaimed offenders, emphasizing the necessity of arresting and bringing them to court.
