Pervaiz Elahi gets bail in terrorism case

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday granted interim bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi till May 11 in a case pertaining to attacking cops during a raid carried out at his Lahore residence, ARY News reported.

A case was registered against Pervaiz Elahi and others at the Ghalib Market police station in Lahore on charges of hurling petrol bombs at the police and interfering in government work.

ATC Judge Ijaz Ahmed Buttar heard the petition and approved interim bail till May 11 against surety bonds worth Rs 50,000.  The ATC also ordered former Punjab chief minister to join the investigation.

Meanwhile, the court also sought FIR record from the police in the next hearing.

It may be recalled that Mr Elahi had obtained protective bail from the Lahore High Court in two cases – one filed by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the other linked to terrorism.

He was granted bail in the corruption case until May 15 and in the terrorism case until May 4.

ACE, police raid

On April 28, the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) team along with police contingents raided former Punjab Chief Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi’s house in Lahore.

It was learnt that 25 persons including a woman were arrested by ACE during the raid. However, Pervaiz Elahi was not arrested in the raid.

The eight-hour-long police action came to a halt after the Director General of Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Sohail Zafar Chattha, left the scene along with the police contingent.