Chaudhry Parvez Elahi arrested in corruption probe

Friday June 2, 2023Friday June 2, 2023

By Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, an aide to former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and the president of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested on Thursday by the anti-corruption establishment with the help of police.

Elahi was arrested following the issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant by a local court in Lahore.

The court order reads: “The pre-arrest bail of the accused was dismissed due to non-prosecution vide order dated May 25 and he is not appearing before the court and also not joining the investigation. In view of the request of the IO, let non-bailable arrest warrants of accused Chaudhry Parvez Elahi be issued for June 2, 2023.”

Police have attempted to arrest the former chief minister of Punjab several times over the past few days. On Thursday, police raided his Lahore residence twice after his pre-arrest bail was dismissed in a case pertaining to irregularities in development projects launched during his term as Punjab chief minister but failed to arrest him.

Political analysts view Elahi’s arrest as part of a wider crackdown against Khan’s aides and supporters who have been rounded up across the country since protests on May 9 when angry PTI supporters torched government buildings and ransacked the house of a senior military official.

Several leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Ejaz Chaudhry, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Maleeka Bokhari, and Dr. Shireen Mazari were arrested after countrywide protests. Several lawmakers and Khan aides who were released from prison have since publicly parted ways with the former primer and quit the PTI.

Amir Mir, a minister in Punjab’s caretaker government told private Geo television that Elahi had been arrested while trying to “flee his house”.

Mir said a window of Elahi’s bulletproof car was damaged when police asked to search the vehicle and Elahi refused to open the door.

Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi reacted to his father’s arrest by vowing that they would stand firm with Khan despite the crackdown.

“It is being said that my father has been arrested in a fake case,” Moonis Elahi wrote on Twitter. “God willing, we are in PTI, and we will remain here.”

Khan’s PTI condemned Elahi’s arrest, describing it as an “absolutely ridiculous” move. “Shameful how the regime doesn’t stop their fascism. The inflation has skyrocketed to 38 percent, and their response is arresting former CM Punjab Parvez Elahi,” the PTI wrote on Twitter.

Elahi dissolved the provincial legislature of Punjab on Khan’s instructions earlier this year to force the government to hold snap polls across the country.

He was rewarded for his loyalty when Khan appointed him as president of PTI in March.

The arrest of Elahi is the latest sign of growing political turmoil in Pakistan. Khan, who was ousted from power in a no-confidence vote in April, has vowed to continue his fight against the government. The crackdown on his supporters and aides is seen by many as an attempt to silence his dissent.