Lahore: Chaudhary Parvez Elahi, chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested on Thursday from outside his residence in Lahore in connection with a corruption case. Confirming Mr. Elahi’s arrest, Punjab’s Acting Information Minister Aamir Mir told Geo News that he was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) with the assistance of the police from outside his Zahoor Elahi Road residence. He also clarified that Mr. Elahi has not been arrested for disturbing law and order.
As have been done to many other PTI members and leaders. Earlier, PTI leaders and workers were arrested on charges of involvement in the protests and sabotage that took place on 09 May following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said that Mr. Elahi was constantly trying to evade arrest. His bail was rejected in a corruption case. He was wanted in this case and was arrested yesterday from outside his residence while trying to escape.
Punjab’s ACE said in a statement that Mr Elahi was wanted in several cases and a few days ago his bail was rejected by an anti-corruption court. ACE claimed that the PTI leader had submitted a fake medical certificate to the court for bail, but the statement did not specify in what cases Mr. Elahi was arrested. Mr. Mir said that as part of the strategy to arrest Mr. Elahi, his residence was under siege for the past several days. Mr. Elahi’s spokesman, Iqbal Chowdhury, alleged that the officers “misbehaved” with the women accompanying him during his arrest. According to Mr. Mir, the PTI leader will now be produced before the court and thereafter his legal team will be allowed to meet him.
Meanwhile, soon after the arrest, Mr. Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi said that his father would remain with PTI. PTI leader Farooq Habib termed Mr. Elahi’s arrest as an act of revenge. PTI leader Babar Awan also condemned the arrest, saying Mr. Elahi was arrested when he was with his family and was harassed before his arrest. He tweeted that this proves that there is no constitutional right or legal protection of any kind in the country.
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