Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was reportedly abducted in Lahore on September 1, 2023, just hours after being released in a graft case. His son, Moonis Elahi, took to social media to claim that his father had been abducted. He mentioned that after a court order and under police and court security, his father was being taken home when his car was stopped, and he was abducted. Moonis expressed frustration at the treatment of the courts and suggested that they should officially declare their predicament.
After high court’s orders and on the Judge’s instructions police including court security were taking my father home. As the car entered our street, it was stopped and he was abducted. If court orders are going to be ridiculed like this maybe they should officially declare it.
— Moonis Elahi (@MoonisElahi6) September 1, 2023
Video footage aired on television channels depicted plain-clothed individuals accompanied by uniformed Punjab policemen forcibly removing Chaudhry Parvez Elahi from his vehicle. Lawyer Latif Khosa, who was sitting next to Elahi, was also pulled out of the vehicle. The police have not provided any official comment on the incident, leaving it unclear who currently has custody of Elahi.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s arrest followed an earlier decision by the Lahore High Court ordering the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to release him and prohibiting his arrest in any other case. Elahi had been previously arrested in connection with a graft case related to alleged kickbacks from road construction contracts in Gujrat.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the NAB had received a letter from the Punjab government citing threats to Elahi’s life and explaining the use of bulletproof vehicles and armored police vans during the operation against riverine gangs. The NAB expressed willingness to present
Elahi in court without security but raised concerns about potential risks.
Ultimately, Elahi was presented in court, and the judge ordered his release and barred authorities from arresting him in any other case.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s previous arrests and legal battles date back to June 1 when he was taken into custody by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for alleged kickbacks in development projects. He had been discharged by a Lahore court but was rearrested by the ACE in another case.
Despite being discharged in several cases, he faced subsequent arrests related to various charges, including illegal recruitments and embezzlement in development projects. In addition, he and his son Moonis Elahi faced charges of money laundering.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s recent abduction adds another layer of complexity to his legal battles and raises concerns about the rule of law and the treatment of political figures in Pakistan.
