An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) made a significant decision on Friday, sending the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, former Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi, to a 14-day judicial remand in connection with the Judicial Complex attack case. This case revolves around alleged attacks on policemen outside the Federal Judicial Complex in Islamabad earlier this year when PTI chairman Imran Khan appeared for a hearing.
Rejecting the prosecution’s request for a 10-day physical remand, ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain took a firm stance.
Pervez Elahi’s arrest saga has been a rollercoaster ride. On September 5, he was rearrested just hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended his detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance and ordered his release. This marked his 11th arrest in various cases since June, following a statewide crackdown against the PTI after the May 9 violence.
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Notably, on September 1, Elahi was rearrested on the same day the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release the former Punjab Chief Minister. Justice Amjad Rafiq, presiding over a corruption case against Elahi, ordered his release and prohibited authorities from detaining the seasoned politician.
However, during his journey back home, Elahi was arrested by Islamabad police from Canal Road in Lahore, an act his son Moonis Elahi referred to as an ‘abduction’ and against the high court’s orders.
In June, the former Punjab CM faced arrest by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Gujranwala on charges of accepting Rs 15 million in bribes while serving as the provincial assembly speaker, allegedly for making out-of-merit appointments to grade-17 posts in the provincial assembly. He was released the following day but rearrested by ACE in a similar case registered in its Gujranwala region.
Subsequently, on July 17, Elahi was placed under the MPO for 30 days, based on a 30-day detention order issued by the Lahore deputy commissioner following a written request from Lahore police.