Special Prosecutor Waris Janjua, representing NAB, sought a 14-day physical remand of Elahi, citing a supplementary allocation of Rs72 billion for specific sectors in Gujrat during Elahi's tenure as Punjab CM.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 15th, 2023) An accountability court on Tuesday extended the custody of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) until August 21.
Accountability Court Judge Zubair Shehzad Kiyani heard the case at the judicial complex after the NAB officials produced him before the court for his physical remand.
During the hearing, Special Prosecutor Waris Janjua, representing NAB, requested a 14-day physical remand of Elahi, citing a supplementary allocation of Rs72 billion for specific sectors in Gujrat during Elahi's tenure as Punjab CM.
Other individuals implicated in the same case have also been remanded.
In response, the court granted a seven-day physical remand, half of the prosecution's request, for Elahi. He also sought permission to meet his wife and son, which the court allowed, but also directed NAB to provide a response to this request.
This is in connection to a bribery case related to development project contracts. Elahi, a former Punjab chief minister, was arrested once again by NAB officials shortly after his release from Rawalpindi's Adiala jail on Monday night.
Following his release, NAB officials promptly apprehended Elahi and brought him before Judicial Magistrate Khalid Hayat to request his transitory remand. Elahi was initially arrested on June 1 from his residence in a corruption case involving Rs70 million, related to misappropriation of development funds allocated for the Gujrat district. Subsequently, he has faced various charges and has been detained multiple times despite periodic releases ordered by the courts.
His initial arrest occurred during a crackdown on the PTI leadership following the May 9 riots. These riots erupted across the country after the arrest of PTI chairman in a case related to the Al-Qadir Trust, involving £190 million. The unrest resulted in casualties and injuries, leading to widespread arrests of PTI supporters.
During the protests, certain individuals targeted both civil and military installations, including the Corps Commander's House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The military declared May 9 as a "Black Day" and opted to try the rioters under the Army Act. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referred to May 9 as the darkest day in the nation's history and announced the trial of suspects in military courts. The National Security Committee also endorsed this decision to address the rioters under the Army Act.
