Is ‘special justice’ only for the Sharifs, asks Elahi

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has questioned whether special justice is only for the Sharifs.

Talking to journalists after his appearance in a local court on Thursday, he said all relief was for Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif and hardships for the rest. “We have always respected institutions and courts, we have been on bails for five months, yet we are being harassed, justice is that which is recognized by people and seen to be done,” he said, adding that the Sharifs had always spoken harshly against the judiciary and state institutions. Where is the justice? Nawaz spoke against honourable judges, did the judges forget that?

Meanwhile, two days physical remand of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in illegal recruitment case approved.

The Special Magistrate accepted the physical remand request of Anti-Corruption. According to the details, ACE Punjab took Chaudhry Parvez Elahi into custody from Adiala Jail last day and obtained his travel remand from the ATC court as per the rules.

Today ACE requested for physical remand of which the Special Magistrate District Court Lahore handed over Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to anti-corruption on physical remand for two days.

According to the anti-corruption spokesperson Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is the main accused in the case of illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly but a few days back special magistrate rejected the request of ACE for physical custody.

Anti-Corruption challenged the magistrate’s decision in the court of the Additional Sessions Judge, who accepted the Anti-Corruption request, but Chaudhry Parvez Elahi challenged the decision of the Additional Sessions Judge in the High Court, but the High Court rejected his appeal.

Similarly, in the light of the High Court decision, the Special Anti-Corruption Judge withdrew the bail decision of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.

Now Anti-Corruption after fulfilling all legal requirements has taken Chaudhry Parvez Elahi into custody and today again requested the physical remand of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in the court of magistrate, which has been approved.

Now Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has been handed over to Anti-Corruption on two-day physical remand. Anti-corruption spokesman says that it is an open and shut case of illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly and it is proved that Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and other accused made illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly against the rules.

The spokesman of Anti-Corruption further said that Anti-Corruption is trying hard to change the corrupt system, for this purpose, therefore , indiscriminate actions are being taken against corrupt elements across Punjab.

Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate discharged PTI President and former Punjab chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi in a case of alleged corruption in allocation of sugar quota to mills.

ACE brought Elahi from Adiala jail, Rawalpindi on a one-day transit remand before the magistrate, and alleged that Elahi had “illegally” allowed the establishment of Rahim Yar Khan Sugar Mills in 2007 when he was the chief minister of Punjab.

During his second stint in 2022, it said, Elahi got Punjab Industries Control on Establishment and Enlargement Amendment Bill passed from the Punjab Assembly allowing RY Khan Sugar Mills to enhance its crushing capacity to 50,000 tonnes per day after paying the prescribed fee, thus helping it earn billions of rupees abnormal profit, the FIR alleged.

The ACE said Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi was the shareholder and partner in the sugar mills and all the illegal actions had been taken to benefit him. Lahore Bar Association President Rana Intezar Hussain appeared on behalf of Mr Elahi and opposed the physical remand, asserting that PTI leader had no connection to any of these charges.

He pointed out that the government had established a committee to make a decision on increasing the sugar quota of the mills, Pervez Elahi had no responsibility if his son Moonis was a shareholder in a sugar mills. He asserted that the evidence did not show Elahi’s involvement in this entire case, and argued that the ACE did not specify the alleged role Elahi played in these allegations. He said it was not a case for physical remand but for discharge. Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid reserved his verdict on the remand request, announced it after an hour and discharged Mr Elahi in the case.