ATC extends judicial remand of Pervaiz Elahi till Nov 21

  • Former CM says PML-N will reap in polls what they sowed during 16-month rule

RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Terrorism Court on Tuesday extended judicial remand of PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz till November 21 in Judicial Complex attack case.

Duty Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hasan presided over the hearing of the case as Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain was on leave.

Lawyer Sardar Abdul Razak represented Pervaiz Elahi, who was brought to court under tight security. At the offset of the hearing, the judge remarked saying: “Just like there are caretakers in politics, there are caretakers in judiciary too”.

Judge Hasan added, “Today I am also a caretaker judge”. He then asked Elahi’s lawyer if a date had to be given today. To which advocate Razak replied saying yes.

The judge then extended Elahi’s judicial remand till Nov 21. Copies of the challan will be provided for charge-sheeting at the next hearing.

The court also allowed him to speak to the lawyers in the courtroom.

On Oct 23, a special court (Central-I) had adjourned a money-laundering case against Elahi and his son, former federal minister Moonis Elahi, as the jail officials did not present the former in the court for medical reasons.

On Oct 5, the Supreme Court had taken exception to the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) tendency to grant “blanket bail orders”.

“Granting of such blanket orders is like issuing a license to commit crimes,” observed Justice Sardar Tariq Masood while heading a three-judge SC bench that had taken up a challenge by Qaisara Elahi – the wife of Elahi.

The LHC on Oct 3 had disposed of a prosecution’s appeal and directed a judicial magistrate to review its decision of discharging the PTI president in a corruption case.

On Sept 26 last month, the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench had disposed of Elahi’s, with the direction to the Punjab home secretary to redress the grievances of the former chief minister of Punjab.

Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan was hearing the petition of Elahi seeking better facilities for himself as per his entitlement.

‘PML-N will reap in polls what they sowed during 16 months govt’

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Elahi said the PML-N would face the repercussions of the 16 months of the previous government in the elections.

He made the remarks when asked to comment on Nawaz’s return. He also said Nawaz should “reprimand” his brother, former premier Shehbaz Sharif, for the inflation — which rose to 27pc in Sept — due to what he said were the PDM government’s failed policies.

“This Nelson Mandela that has arrived should take his brother to task,” he said. “There was an unprecedented rise in prices and people suffered.”

Elahi said people resorted to ending their lives due to staggering inflation, adding that some also lost their jobs while others had pension issues.

He highlighted that gas and electricity prices were also hiked. “They even started beating up teachers (protesting for their rights).”

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