PBC condemns ‘manhandling’, re-arrest of Pervaiz Elahi

LAHORE: Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has strongly condemned the manhandling and re-arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Pervaiz Elahi in “violation of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders”, ARY News reported on Saturday.

In a statement, the PBC said Vice-Chairman Haroonur Rashid and Executive Committee Chairman Hassan Raza Pasha, “strongly condemned the manhandling” re-arrest of Pervaiz Elahi, as well as his confinement under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

The statement noted that the re-arrest was made in violation of Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order wherein it had “categorically ordered not to re-arrest him in any case”.

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) also expressed concerns that the arrest “raised questions about the rule of law and the power dynamics in Pakistan’s political landscape”.

Stressing the necessity to obey and implement court orders and upholding the Constitution, the council stated that the courts “should take care while deciding political matters whether orders passed therein could be implemented or not”.

Read More: Pervaiz Elahi’s detention order issued under MPO

A day earlier, Pervaiz was re-arrested from Zahoor Elahi Road, Lahore, hours after the Lahore High Court (LHC) released him in the Asset Beyond Means case.

The capital police arrested the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order from Zahoor Elahi Road, Lahore, and will be transferred to Islamabad by helicopter.

Former CM of Punjab, Pervaiz Elahi was produced before the Lahore High Court (LHC) where Justice Amjad Rafiq presided over the hearing and ordered to release of former Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the Assets Beyond Means case.

It is pertinent to mention here that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Elahi over failing to provide information to the accountability bureau in assets beyond the means case against him, his son Monis Elahi and other family members.

NAB sources have revealed that an inquiry has also been initiated against Moonis Elahi into the excessive assets case.

A team from NAB Lahore chapter took former CM Pervaiz Elahi from Adiala Jail to appear before the session court in Rawalpindi for transit remand.