LAHORE, March 21: A judicial magistrate at district courts extended on Monday physical remand of PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi for another three days in the NICL land scam and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce him on March 24.

The FIA investigating officer sought a seven-day remand, saying more time was required to verify Mr Moonis's, also a member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), national and foreign bank accounts.

The defence counsel opposed the request, saying that in the absence of any proof or testimony against his client, the FIA had detained Mr Elahi on vindictive and prejudicial grounds.

He alleged that FIA Additional Director General Zafar Qureshi had implicated Moonis in the NICL scam to settle his personal grudges. He said when his client was abroad, the FIA had summoned Moonis as witness on Jan 27, 2011. At that time, his lawyer had informed the FIA that the MPA would come back in a week to record his statement. But without any tangible reason, the agency issued arrest warrants for Moonis declaring him an absconder.

The counsel said there was no reason to extend remand as his client was ready to appear before the investigators whenever summoned.

The magistrate, however, extended his physical remand for three days.

Moonis was brought to the court amid tight security while a large number of PML-Q workers were present on court premises. They chanted slogans in favour of their leader and showered rose petals on him.

PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Zaheerudin, Raja Basharat and Amina Ulfat were also present. LAHORE, March 21: Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab President Dr Hamid Butt says their agitation will continue till their demands are met.

Dr Butt told reporters on Monday the Punjab Health Department should announce the promised pay package for doctors in the upcoming budget.

He said the YDA would not accept a salary raise of Rs10,000 to 15,000 which was being planned by the government as it wanted a special pay package which had been decided in meetings with the Health Department and the YDA, he said.

He said doctors would continue boycott at outpatient departments of public hospitals till the issuance of notification of special pay package.

ELAHI: Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Saeed Elahi says that there is no justification of YDA strike after the assurance of the government of raising their salaries, says a handout.

Referring to the meeting of a delegation of YDA office bearers with Punjab Speaker Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Dr Elahi said doctors should end their strike in the larger interest of patients.