Parvez Elahi re-arrested after reprieve in Lahore Master Plan case
Pakistan
Parvez Elahi re-arrested after acquittal in Lahore Master Plan case
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was reportedly re-arrested on Sunday after an anti-corruption court in Lahore ordered his release in a corruption case related to the Lahore Master Plan 2050, marking yet another instance of his frequent arrests.
Citing police officials, the former Punjab chief minister’s lawyer, Rana Intezar Hussain, said, "He has been arrested in connection with a terrorism case and is being taken to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail."
According to Sardar Abdul Razzaq, another lawyer of Parvez Elahi, this marks the 12th time the former CM has been arrested since June 1, following the events of May 9.
Parvez Elahi was on Saturday arrested by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi, and was presented in the anti-corruption court in Lahore today (Sunday). The court had allowed one-day transit remand of the PTI Punjab president.
During Sunday’s hearing, anti-corruption officials requested the court for Parvez Elahi's physical remand.
The court had previously reserved its decision regarding ACE's request and later acquitted Elahi, dismissing him from the case.
The written court order regarding this decision is yet to be issued.
In this case, Elahi faced charges under Sections 109, 409, 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code, as well as Section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947.
This FIR was filed on July 19 at the Lahore ACE police station based on a complaint from Lahore ACE officer Tariq Mehmood.
The FIR details that in March 2021, the then-chief minister Parvez Elahi allegedly misused his authority and collaborated with Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director Amir Ahmed Khan to unlawfully modify the draft of the Lahore Master Plan 2050. Allegedly the area of Kotli Rai Abu Bakar, a region in Kasur district, was added to the plan.
The FIR alleged that as a result, the value of the estate owned by Elahi's sons, Moonis Elahi and Rasikh Elahi, in Kotli Rai Abu Bakar significantly increased.
Elahi had been taken into custody by provincial anti-corruption authorities in this case while he was already detained in Adiala Jail in connection with a riots case.
It is worth noting that after his arrest, the former CM was presented in an Islamabad court. The court allowed one-day transit remand of the PTI Punjab president for the ACE to present him in the relevant anti-corruption court in Lahore today (Sunday).
