ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the Punjab government’s appeals seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Central President and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and former secretary of the Punjab Assembly Muhammad Khan Bhatti.

A three-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, questioned why the accused were not appearing before the trial court. The bench observed that the appearance of the accused before the trial court was mandatory and warned that no one would be allowed to take undue advantage of the law.

Former Punjab CM Parvez Elahi is facing a case related to alleged illegal recruitments in the Punjab Assembly.

The observation came after the Punjab prosecutor argued that the accused had delayed the trial on 18 occasions.

Prosecutor claims defendant delayed trial 18 times

However, Barrister Ali Zafar contended that the prosecutor’s statement was completely contrary to the facts, pointing out that Parvez Elahi had remained in jail for a year.

He further argued that no charges had yet been framed against his client and that the prosecution had failed to present any evidence.

During the hearing, the CJP acknowledged that it was the prosecution’s responsibility to present evidence. Finding that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence, the Supreme Court dismissed the Punjab government’s appeals.

Later, Elahi spoke to the media outside the Supreme Court alongside Muhammad Khan Bhatti and their legal team, comprising Barrister Ali Zafar and Amir Saeed Rawn.

Elahi said he regretted that 29 false and baseless cases had been registered against him but added that, by the grace of Allah, he had secured bail in all of them.

“Unjustified cases were also registered against former Punjab Assembly secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, but we are contesting all these charges through the due legal process,” he said.

“We have received justice from the Supreme Court today, and the requirements of justice have been fully met,” he added.

He also thanked the media, saying that it was through the press that their stance and the truth reached the public.

Speaking on the occasion, Barrister Ali Zafar said that all claims made by the prosecutor were contrary to the facts. He maintained that the illegal recruitment case against the former chief minister was a clear example of political victimisation, because of which Chaudhry Parvez Elahi had spent an entire year behind bars.

Elahi’s counsel, Amir Saeed Rawn, also stated that in the present case neither had charges been framed nor had the prosecution been able to present any evidence.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2026