LAHORE: A special court on Friday confirmed the interim pre-arrest bail of former chief minister and PTI central president Parvez Elahi in a case of kickback registered by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

“The evidence is weak and it is a case of further inquiry,” Judge Ali Raza observed after hearing arguments of the prosecution.

The judge noted that the case against Elahi had been made on the statement of a co-suspect and the presence of the petitioner at the place of occurrence had not been even alleged in the FIR.

The judge confirmed the pre-arrest bail of Parvez Elahi and directed him to furnish surety bonds of Rs1 million.

Earlier, the judge allowed an application of Elahi for one-time exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds.

The ACE accused Elahi and his son, Moonis Elahi, of receiving kickbacks of Rs120 million in payments made to a foreign contractor of the Lahore Waste Management Company.

PROTECTIVE BAIL: The Lahore High Court on Friday granted interim protective bail to Parvez Elahi in a case of alleged corruption registered by the Gujranwala office of the ACE.

Elahi along with his counsel, Amir Saeed Rawn, appeared before the court of Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh.

The judge allowed the protective bail till May 6 and directed Elahi to approach the court concerned for pre-arrest bail before the next hearing.

Talking to the media, PTI leader Parvez Elahi said the Sharifs had always done politics of victimisation by making false cases against political opponents.

He said everyone was looking at the Supreme Court for the implementation of its decision regarding elections. He said the Supreme Court had observed that all politicians should sit together to make a decision on elections with a consensus.

Elahi said PTI Chairman Imran Khan distributed party tickets on merit.

BAIL EXTENDED: A sessions court on Friday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of the wife of former federal minister Moonis Elahi and his other family members in a money laundering case of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Moonis’ wife Tehreem Elahi, his brother Rasikh Elahi along with wife Zara Elahi and five other suspects appeared before the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghulam Rasool.

However, the investigating officer of the FIA did not appear before the court and sought an adjournment.

The judge extended the bail of the petitioners till May 5.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2023