LAHORE: Interpol has rejected the Pakistan government’s request to extradite former federal minister and senior PTI leader Moonis Elahi for ‘want of evidence’ against him in money laundering, murder and other allegations.

Mr Moonis has been living in Spain for about three years following the crackdown on Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) here.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had been vigorously pursuing the extradition plea before Interpol and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had furnished so-called evidence related to money laundering and other offences during the last couple of years with the Interpol.

Rejecting the Pakistan government’s plea, the Interpol said: “The General Secretariat of International Criminal Police Organization – Interpol – hereby certifies that as of today Mr Moonis Elahi is not subject to an Interpol notice or diffusion.”

Cites lack of evidence in money laundering, murder and other cases

A source in the FIA told this reporter that Interpol had dropped the investigation against Moonis for want of evidence against him. “Although the FIA had been pursuing this case for about two years, it appears that Interpol did not accommodate its stance because most cases were of political nature,” he said.

Interestingly, Gujrat police implicated Moonis in a murder case that was used in the government’s plea before Interpol. However, the local court withdrew arrest warrants and proclamation of him after the case turned out to be false, which helped Moonis prove the government’s malafide stance.

A counsel for Moonis Amir Rawn told Dawn that the Interpol cleared his client of all baseless charges framed by the PML-N government after a thorough fact-finding probe.

“The Interpol’s clean chit has proved that all allegations ranging from murder to money laundering and fraud to corruption were politically motivated against Moonis,” he said and added the Elahi family had been victimised for staying loyal to Imran Khan.

“Moonis Elahi deserves an apology from the Pakistani authorities for targeting him through fake cases,” he said and added that the Elahi family had faced relentless targeting since the PML-N returned to power.

“Moonis has been vocal in criticising the PML-N regime, especially Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, making him a prime target. The ruling party’s use of fake cases, arrests, and coercive measures against opposition figures reflects a broader strategy to suppress dissent,” he said and added the case in point serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of weaponising state institutions against political opponents.

Interior ministry spokesperson Qadir Yar Tiwana did not comment on Dawn’s query in this regard.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2025