Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain terms late-night action at his residence ‘unacceptable’
LAHORE, May 01 (SABAH): Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain lashed out at the Punjab police on Monday for attempting to enter his Lahore residence during a raid to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President and former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and termed the action “unacceptable”.
A police and Anti-Corruption Establishment (AEC) raiding team had conducted a raid at Elahi’s Gulberg residence, late on Friday night and arrested 12 people. The raiding party used an armoured vehicle to break open the main gate of the residence after facing resistance. However, the ACE team could not find Elahi, even after thoroughly searching the house.
The police officials had also tried to force their entry into the adjoining residence of Shujaat, but they were resisted by the PML-Q leader’s sons.
Talking to journalists on Monday, Chaudhry Shujaat addressed the matter and recounted the night’s events, a PML-Q press release said.
“Before making statements on this entire matter, I would like to say that the procedure followed in this entire affair is unacceptable,” he said.
The PML-Q president strongly condemned how an armoured vehicle was used to break down the main gate of his residence and called on the authorities to bring to light and justice whoever was responsible for the matter.
Chaudhry Shujaat said that he would go into further detail about the matter some other time, adding that he had told his sons to remain patient.
“Looking at the current circumstances of the country, I don’t want to say anything that could further deteriorate the situation at the national level. Pakistan is engulfed in many problems and some people want to exploit this issue to worsen matters,” he said.
The PML-Q chief recalled that the police had shattered the glass on his door and injured his two sons with Chaudhry Salik Hussain requiring stitches on his hand.
Chaudhry Shujaat added that neither he nor his sons had anything to do with the case — pertaining to corruption in construction projects and commission from an international firm — on the basis of which police “attacked” his residence.
“The procedure adopted in all this process is unacceptable. I strongly condemned how an armed personal carrier was used to take down the door,” Hussain told journalists. He also called for the removal of officers involved in the raid.
The PML-Q chief said that he did not want to say anything which would harm national politics as the country is already in a lot of problems.
“When police went to Pervez Elahi’s residence they were informed that he was at Chaudhry Shujaat’s residence. The policemen left Elahi’s residence and rammed into my house,” the PMl-Q leader said. He added both his sons stopped the police from entering his house yet they tried to enter the house forcefully.
The PML-Q chief further stated that both his sons were injured in the raid and the police left after two hours.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that when the police were questioned about the raid they stated that it was about embezzlement done in the development work done in Gujrat. He clarified that both his sons were not related to the case.
The PML-Q leader added that he would speak about the raid at another time and he has asked both his sons to be patient.