LAHORE: Incarcerated PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on Thursday accused Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi of robbing the people of their mandate in the Feb 8 election, predicting an accountability of his alleged crimes soon.

“Mohsin Naqvi and his police are the real culprits behind stealing the mandate of the citizens,” Mr Elahi said in a brief conversation with the journalists after his appearance in a special court.

The PTI leader said the people of Pakistan gave a proof of their love for Imran Khan by voting for his party but the ‘blue-eyed’ politicians snatched the mandate at midnight.

He rejected the possibility of reunion with his nephews, Salik Hussain and Shafay Hussain.

“First, they return the stolen mandate then we may consider any reconciliation,” he added.

The former chief minister said Imran Khan lived in the hearts of the nation.

Declaring that the public would not accept a government without a mandate, Parvez vowed to continue his struggle to protect the mandate of the people. He said the snatchers of the mandate would never be able to take the country out of crises.

Earlier, a special court for anti-corruption delayed the indictment of Mr Elahi and other suspects in a case of alleged illegal appointments made in the Punjab Assembly.

The lawyers for Parvez Elahi and others requested the court to adjourn the hearing owing to a strike call by the bar. The court adjourned the hearing till Feb 26 for framing of the charges.

An accountability court also adjourned the hearing of a reference against Mr Elahi and others for receiving kickbacks in releasing funds for development schemes in Gujrat division.

The court directed the prosecution to supply better copies of reference to the suspects before the next hearing on March 6.

Later, Mr Elahi was taken back to the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2024