Parvez Elahi, 13 others indicted in forest land case

RAWALPINDI: An accountability court in Rawalpindi on Tuesday indicted former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and 13 other accused in a reference alleging the illegal transfer of 1,170 kanals of government forest land in Rawat’s Takht Pari area to a private housing society.

Special Accountability Court Judge Sheikh Ejaz Ali framed charges against all 14 accused. The reference concerns the alleged transfer of government-owned forest land located in Takht Pari.

All of the accused pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations. They also termed the reference false and politically motivated, and said they would establish their innocence during the trial.

The court issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau’s investigation team and summoned 10 government witnesses for the next hearing, scheduled for June 16.