Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s wife moves Apex Court for husband’s release

ISLAMABAD, Sep 09 (SABAH): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President and former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s wife on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, challenging the Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to dispose of a plea challenging the former Punjab chief minister’s rearrest.

The LHC had disposed of a plea seeking its order for the production and release of the PTI president after terming it infructuous.

In her fresh petition in the apex court, Elahi’s wife pleaded with the top court to release her husband, saying that the LHC did not examine the facts related to his arrest.

The plea also seeks SC’s restraining orders against his possible arrest in any undisclosed case registered against him.

She requested the top court to issue orders for Elahi’s production before the court. Despite the LHC’s restraining order against his possible arrest, the PTI president was rearrested under 3-MPO by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police shortly after being released by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and subsequently, the seasoned politician was put under house arrest in Adiala jail for the next 15 days, Elahi’s wife apprised the top court.

The LHC on September 5 issued a show-cause notice for contempt of court to Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan in connection with the PTI president’s detention under 3-MPO (Maintenance of Public Order).

The LHC ordered the Islamabad police chief to appear before the court on September 8.

Later, the former Punjab chief minister moved the LHC seeking contempt proceedings against the Islamabad IG.

Taking up the petition, the Lahore High Court ordered the Islamabad IG to appear before the court in this regard on September 8.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft watchdog filed an appeal in the LHC in connection with its restraining order against Elahi’s possible arrest in any undisclosed case.

In its plea, the NAB said that the ex-Punjab chief minister’s detention was “legal” and he was on the “remand”.

“The [LHC] single bench did not examine the facts properly and passed the order of [his]release.”

NAB pleaded with the court to declare the LHC single bench verdict in this case null and void. The anti-graft watchdog also urged the LHC to suspend the single bench’s order till the decision of this appeal.