Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi was arrested again on Saturday night just a few minutes after a Gujranwala court discharged him in two corruption cases. This is the second time that the PTI leader has been re-arrested by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) after a court granted him relief.

The PTI leader has been arrested in a case registered against him for the alleged illegal recruitment he did in the Punjab Assembly when he was the speaker.

The DG ACE said he was arrested in the third case, pertaining to fake recruitments in Punjab Assembly, lodged against him in Lahore.

Duty judicial magistrate Muhammad Afzal had pronounced the verdict he reserved on Elahi’s physical remand in both cases lodged in Gujranwala. The court reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides. Elahi said before the court that he had not been provided with his medicines in the jail, adding that he was not afraid of such cases. “I shall face them,” he added.

Talking to the media after appearing before the court, he said the court’s ruling would be implemented in letter and spirit, adding that it was a test for the judiciary. “It will elevate the judiciary’s dignity and court will rule right,” he added.

Elahi had been presented before court in Gujranwala today (Saturday) amid tight security. Police, in a statement, said security had been tightened around the court ahead of the appearance of Elahi in order to avoid any untoward situation.

Two cases are registered against the PTI leader at AEC Gujranwala directorate. He is accused of receiving Rs2 billion in bride in various development projects.

The ACE has pleaded the court to grant the physical remand of Mr Elahi to interrogate him in the cases. Meanwhile, in view of the ongoing exodus of leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the May 9 mayhem, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, the elder son of Chaudhry Shujaat, on Saturday clarified that there was no room for Parvez Elahi in Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

Talking to journalists outside the Corps Commander House (Jinnah House) in Lahore – which came under an arson attack allegedly by the supporters of PTI last month – Shafay said, “Parvez Elahi will be most welcomed if he wants to come as a family [member] but politically, it will be better for him to form his own party.” “The miscreants burnt everything in Jinnah House,” the PML-Q leader said, adding that those involved in the arson attack at the house should be punished.

Khan’s arrest earlier this month sparked days of street protests after which the PTI leaders’ exodus started, as security forces launched a crackdown against the party following the attacks on civil and military institutions, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House. At least eight people were killed in the violent protests in the country. Shafay was of the view that PTI was behind the attacks on the military installations and smashing statues of the national heroes. Stressing the need for joint efforts, he said together we have to strengthen the country.