Pervaiz Elahi granted bail in suspicious transactions case

LAHORE: A banking court has granted bail to former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Pervaiz Elahi in suspicious transactions case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

During the hearing, the banking court’s judge Aslam Gondal said that it would be unjust to keep Pervaiz Elahi in jail.

Later, the banking court approved Pervaiz Elahi’s bail in the case lodged by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The PTI president has been directed to submit surety bonds worth Rs500,000.

READ: Chaudhry Shujaat meets Pervaiz Elahi in jail again

The court expressed outrage over the investigation officer’s (IO) to present the record of the case and issued his arrest warrant.

The judge observed that the former chief minister was not nominated in the First Information Report (FIR), whereas, co-accused Saira Anwar has already been granted bail by the court.

The PTI president is currently on judicial remand in jail and further investigation is not needed anymore, the judge remarked.

Earlier, the FIA lodged a money laundering case against Pervaiz Elahi on charges of suspicious transactions.

READ: FIA arrest Pervaiz Elahi in money laundering case

The former CM was immediately taken into custody by FIA after he secured bail in a corruption case on June 26.

Yesterday, Pervaiz Elahi sought ‘similar bail’ granted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The former chief minister made these remarks during a hearing in Lahore High Court (LHC) over his plea against non-provision of facilities in the jail. LHC justice Amjad Rafique heard Elahi’s plea.

During the hearing, Jail Superintendent submitted a report to Lahore High Court and said every facility, including a room cooler, was available in the jail.

Meanwhile, Pervaiz told the court that he has been in jail for one and a half months and there was nothing else but problems.

“There are bugs everywhere, there is a washroom in the room and my feet are swollen already,” the PTI president said as he pleaded for ‘better treatment’.

The judge asked the former chief minister whether he has an air conditioner, Elahi replied, “Where is the AC?” as the fan presented in his cell was taken away from his room.

The judge asked for a way out, on which, the former Punjab CM said that he should be given bail like Shah Mahmood Qureshi and PTI chief. The courtroom burst into laughter.