Lahore: Parvez Elahi, the President of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was apprehended by anti-corruption officials. According to sources anti-corruption personnel took him into custody outside his residence in Lahore on Thursday.
Sources confirmed that anti-corruption personnel stopped PTI President’s car near Zahoor Elahi’s house in Lahore’s Gulberg area.
A spokesperson for Elahi confirmed the arrest.
This development follows the anti-corruption court’s rejection of Elahi’s interim bail last week. Elahi had failed to appear before the court, citing health issues.
His arrest is related to a corruption case involving the misappropriation of development funds totalling Rs70 million allocated for the Gujrat district.
The anti-corruption court judge also declared Elahi’s medical certificate, which claimed he was experiencing chest pain, fraudulent.
Anti-corruption officials arrested Parvez Elahi, the President of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, as he attempted to flee, according to a statement by an anti-corruption spokesperson. The spokesperson further revealed that Elahi is wanted in several other corruption cases.
The spokesperson also revealed that Elahi’s bail was revoked due to a forged medical certificate submission.
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چوہدری پرویز الہٰی کو گھر سے باہر جاتے ہوئے گاڑی سے گرفتار کیا گیا۔
#pervezelahi #pervaizelahi #pti #fawadchaudhry #imranKhanPTI #pakistan #karachi #lahore #islamabad #AsadUmar pic.twitter.com/vgScfpEq6N— Raftar (@raftardotcom) June 1, 2023
Police Attempted to Break the Car’s Window, says Elahi’s Driver
According to Elahi’s driver’s statement to the police, the PTI leader tried to escape to Gilgit Baltistan in a convoy of four vehicles.
The driver stated that Elahi was not travelling in a bulletproof vehicle and alleged that the police attempted to break the car’s window after the PTI president refused to open the door.
Punjab’s caretaker Information Minister, Amir Mir, confirmed to Geo News that anti-corruption authorities sought Elahi in connection with a graft case.
Mir mentioned that Elahi attempted to flee his residence when the police intercepted his vehicle and took him into custody.
In addition to that, the minister confirmed that Elahi resisted during his arrest yet the police successfully apprehended him
The PTI leader’s spokesperson noted that Elahi’s son, Rasikh, and the sister of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain were present during the arrest.
Elahi’s arrest occurred amidst a series of PTI leaders and workers’ arrests following violent protests that erupted across the country on May 9.
Crackdown on PTI
The crackdown on PTI leadership in response to the May 9 riots has prompted a wave of defections from the former ruling party. Prominent figures such as Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Aami Mehmood Kiani, Ali Zaidi, and others have severed ties with the party in protest against the violent demonstrations.
Elahi assumed the role of PTI president in March of this year, only a month after he and 10 former MPAs left the PML-Q to join the PTI.
Moonis Elahi, the son of the PTI president, played a crucial role in convincing his father to join the PTI ranks. However, Elahi stated that anti-corruption officials arrested his father on false charges.
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