Pervaiz Elahi not released from jail despite securing bail

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi could not be released from jail on Saturday despite receiving bail from the court.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) prohibited authorities from arresting Elahi in any undisclosed case and ordered his immediate release. The court ordered police and the Anti-Corruption Establishment to not arrest the politicians in any undisclosed or registered case against him.

Justice Amjad Rafique passed the order in a case seeking details of cases against the former chief minister. He was earlier this week granted bail in a money laundering after submitting surety bonds.

Ahead of Elahi’s imminent release, a large contingent of police arrived at the Camp Jail to take Elahi into custody under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). However, jail authorities did not release the veteran politician after not receiving the court release order.

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s lawyer Aamir Saeed Rawn left the high court with the signature of the Additional Registrar Judicial on the release order.  The document was handed over to jail authorities but Elahi was not released. Subsequently, police deployed outside left the jail as the superintendent consulted with officials.

Elahi’s lawyer expressed his displeasure after the former chief minister was not released. He said jail authorities cannot keep a suspect in prison after receiving a release order. He said a suspect arrested at night is transferred to jail but not released after dark.

Earlier today, Police requested Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rafia Haider to grant permission for the house arrest of the former Punjab chief minister.

Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana sent a letter to grant the order on the grounds that Elahi could become a source of distorting public order.

The Lahore High Court issued a written decision restraining authorities from arresting Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in any undisclosed case and inquiry.

In the 13-page judgment by Justice Amjad Rafiq, the court ordered that Pervaiz Elahi not be arrested in any undisclosed case or pending inquiry, terrorism cases registered in Gulberg police station, and corruption cases in Gujarat.

The court ordered to submit surety bonds of Rs50,000 each in both cases to be granted bail for ten days. The court instructed the petitioner to appear in the concerned court within the given time after release from jail.

Additional Advocate General strongly opposed the protective bail. He said there is no precedent for granting such relief and the Supreme Court has stopped from informing the accused before arrest.

The court issued a decision on the petitions of Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Rasikh Elahi on the cases and seeking post-arrest bail. Elahi’s lawyer Amir Saeed Rawn argued that his client has been granted bail in six anti-corruption cases and two FIA cases. He said there is a fear of re-arrest if Elahi comes out of jail and is a victim of political revenge.