ISLAMABAD: Former chief minister of Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has said that the upcoming general elections will not be considered ‘credible’ if Imran Khan was not allowed to contest.

Talking to media persons outside an anti-terrorism court, where he was brought in a case pertaining to violence outside the judicial complex in Islam­abad, ex-CM Elahi said any election without Mr Khan would not be accep­ted and such elections would have no credibility.

He said that a ‘minus-Imran’ election would render the general polls ‘meaningless’.

In response to a question regarding the recent judgement of a fill court bench on the suo motu powers of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Elahi welcomed the judgement and said it was not in accordance with the expectations of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

“PML-N had attached high hopes with this case, but the decision was not what they were expecting,” he said, adding it was to be seen what new narrative PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would create.

According to him, the judgement would dash hopes of both Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Khan Tareen to seek relief in their cases.

Answering a question related to the cipher case, the PTI leader expressed the hope that party chairman Imran Khan and vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi would be vindicated in the case.

Mr Elahi also complained to the media that the jail administration was not providing him the facilities he was entitled to. He said that the substandard food of jail had caused him indigestion. Earlier, he was produced before the ATC amid tight security.

Since Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the ATC was on leave, the judge of Special Court Shahrukh Arjumand extended his judicial remand till Oct 24.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2023