RAWALPINDI – In a significant development, the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench has suspended a decision by the accountability court in the graft case against former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. This provides major relief to the senior politician facing ongoing legal troubles.
The two-member bench, led by Justice Shahram Sarwar and Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi, issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) during the hearing of Elahi’s writ petition. The court also exempted him from appearing in person before the NAB court until further proceedings.
Parvez Elahi’s legal team, including Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan and Aamir Saeed Raan, argued that the former chief minister is elderly and currently undergoing medical treatment in Lahore. They said his health does not permit him to attend every court hearing.
Justice Shahram Sarwar questioned NAB’s objection to granting the exemption. The NAB prosecutor argued that Elahi’s illness did not justify the relief, stating it was not serious enough to warrant exemption from court appearances.
However, after the preliminary hearing, the High Court admitted the petition for regular proceedings. The bench suspended the accountability court’s previous order and issued notices to NAB for a detailed hearing on the matter.
This legal pause in proceedings gives Elahi temporary relief, as the court now prepares for a full hearing to review the merits of his exemption request and overall graft case.