LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release former Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi, who was arrested in a corruption case.
The president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had filed a petition against NAB’s move to arrest him in a corruption case.
Justice Amjad Rafiq of Lahore High Court pronounced the decision after presenting Elahi in the court.
During the hearing today, Justice Rafiq warned NAB that if Elahi is not produced today, the court will issue a warrant for the director general of the accountability body.
Justice Rafiq said that a full inquiry will be conducted into his arrest. The judge remarked that he is ordering Parvez Elahi’s immediate release.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Elahi said: “I thank God for the judge’s order for my release and I thank all those who prayed for me.”
On August 29, the PTI leader approached the court challenging his detention, claiming that his arrest was in violation of the LHC’s orders directing the authorities not to file any pending FIR or inquiry. I was prevented from arresting Elahi.
NAB had accused Elahi of receiving more than one billion rupees through intermediaries in more than 200 development projects of Gujarat district during his second term as Punjab Chief Minister.
Elahi was initially arrested on June 1 from outside his residence in a Rs 70 million corruption case related to the embezzlement of development funds earmarked for Gujarat district.
Since then, the former Chief Minister of Punjab is behind bars on various charges. Over a period of about two and a half months, the PTI leader was released several times on the orders of the courts, but each time he was promptly re-arrested.
The PTI president was detained during the crackdown launched against the party leadership after the May 9 riots.
