Pervaiz Elahi apologises for remarks on Fawad Chaudhry

LAHORE: Former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has issued an apology over his remarks on former information minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, the former Punjab CM said that they have a long-standing relationship with Fawad Chaudhry’s family, adding that he apologises for his remarks, “which caused pain to his family”.

Earlier in the day, Pervaiz Elahi – while talking to journalists – said that three or four PTI leaders have seriously damaged Imran Khan-led party by misguiding the former premier.

Without naming anyone, the PML-Q leader said that if he had been caught earlier, the whole situations would have come under control.

Purported audio of Pervaiz Elahi

An audio call featuring Pervaiz Elahi emerged on Thursday in which he can allegedly be heard castigating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry over dissolution of Punjab Assembly.

In the audio clip being widely shared on social media, the former Punjab CM can allegedly be heard criticising Fawad Chaudhry for ‘forcing’ him to dissolve the Punjab Assembly.

“Fawad was arrested very late today at 5 o’clock in the morning,” Pervaiz Elahi can be heard saying to an unidentified person.

The PML-Q leader allegedly said that if Fawad Chaudhry had been arrested a month ago, the assemblies would not have been dissolved. “Fawad was pressurizing us to take action in this regard,” Elahi can be heard saying.

It is pertinent to mention here that Islamabad police arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry from his residence for ‘threatening’ Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members.

A case against Chaudhary was registered last night at the Kohsar police station in Islamabad on the complaint of Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Omer Hamid Khan.

READ: CCTV FOOTAGE OF FAWAD CHAUDHRY’S ARREST EMERGES

The first information report (FIR) was lodged against him for using ‘threatening’ language against the ECP and its members.

The PTI leader has been booked under sections 153-A (promotion of enmity between groups), 506 (criminal intimidation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief) and 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code.