Parvez Elahi: ‘I’m innocent, supporter of Pakistan Army’

FOOLS_NIGHTMARE · Jun 2, 2023

Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza reserves verdict.
Punjab ACE sought Elahi's 14-day physical remand.
Elahi blames Mohsin Naqvi for his arrest.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi claimed innocence on Friday and said that he is a "supporter" of the Pakistan Army, urging party supporters to stay strong.

The former Punjab chief minister made these remarks today when he was presented before a court.

The Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had arrested Parvz Elahi a day earlier in relation to a case involving Rs70 million in corruption in development funds allocated for the Gujrat district — in which his bail was rejected.

Elahi — while speaking to reporters before his appearance — said: "I am innocent and a supporter of Pakistan Army."

In his message to party workers and supporters, the former CM urged them to "stay strong".

While speaking to Geo News, Elahi (without naming anybody) took a jibe at the former party leaders who announced their decision to part ways with Imran Khan, saying that he won’t hold any press conference.

Elahi recalled that he did not make any political case against anyone and blamed Punjab CM Mohsin Naqvi for his current predicament.

“Naqvi has done injustice to me.”

Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza reserved the verdict after hearing the former Punjab chief minister’s case, where the ACE requested the court for his 14-day physical remand.

During the hearing, Elahi’s counsel Advocate Rana Intizar informed the court that all documents related to the projects are available.

“Anti-corruption watchdog is introducing its own law under which the judge hearing the cases will be of their choice,” the council said, adding that on January 17, 2023 a payment worth Rs360 million was made when Naqvi was the chief minister.

The case

It should be noted that two cases have been registered in Gujranwala against the former Punjab chief minister on the charges of receiving kickbacks in awarding contracts while one case has been lodged in Lahore against the former chief minister.

Earlier, a special judge of the anti-corruption court in Lahore issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Elahi, ordering authorities to produce him by June 2. Two arrest warrants have been issued for the PTI leader. The first one was issued on May 25 after the cancellation of bail while the second one on May 26.

In April, the ACE Gujranwala filed a case against the PTI president citing a report based on sources, in which the former Punjab CM was accused of taking a Rs2 billion bribe for the contract of a development scheme.

In another case, an FIR No 6/23 was registered against Elahi for taking a bribe of Rs120 million from an international organisation — a Turkish company.

The anti-corruption court judge also declared Elahi’s medical certificate as bogus which claimed that he had been experiencing chest pain.