Daily Times

An accountability court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of the Gujrat development projects reference against former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and others until April 14.

Duty Judge Qaiser Nazir Butt presided over the proceedings, during which former principal secretary to the chief minister, Muhammad Khan Bhatti, and other accused appeared before the court. However, Elahi’s pleader, Anwaar Hussain, was absent.

Advocate Javed Arshad Bhatti, representing Parvez Elahi, submitted an application requesting the appointment of Mukhtar Ahmed Ranjha as the new pleader. He informed the court that Hussain had been appointed as Assistant Advocate General and could no longer represent Elahi.

The court remarked that Elahi’s presence was mandatory for the change of pleader.

In response, his counsel stated that Elahi was unwell and had already been granted a permanent exemption from attendance. However, the court expressed displeasure and questioned whether the defence wanted the exemption to be revoked. Elahi’s counsel assured the court that the former chief minister would appear at the next hearing.

Following this, the court postponed the proceedings until April 14 and summoned Elahi to appear in person.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has accused Parvez Elahi and his son, Moonis Elahi, of receiving over Rs. 1 billion in kickbacks through intermediaries in more than 200 development projects in the Gujrat district during Elahi’s second tenure as Punjab Chief Minister.