LHC rejects request against police action at Elahi's residence

Justice Dogar instructs IGP Punjab, ACE official to act in accordance with the law; submit detailed report of raid

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Pervaiz Elahi’s son Rasikh’s request asking to restrain police officials from arresting the former chief minister and conducting raids at his residence.

Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, however, sought a detailed report from Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr Usman Anwar and the director general of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on late night raid at Elahi's Lahore residence on Saturday.

He instructed them to proceed in accordance with the law.

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As the proceedings commenced today, the petitioner’s counsel argued that "not only were first information reports (FIRs) registered against Elahi regularly but raids were conducted on a daily basis".

Justice Dogar asked the counsel under which law the court could prevent the police from arresting the ex-CM, to which the petitioner’s counsel maintained that there were prior cases where the court had passed such directions.

The LHC judge further questioned how the court could accept Rasikh’s request until the report was submitted.

Last week, Elahi's son moved the LHC to order a stop to police operations at their residence and prevent the police from arresting his family members.

In his petition, Rasikh contended that police officials had entered the house without search warrants and conducted an operation similar to those being conducted “in Waziristan or the tribal areas of South Punjab”.

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The chief secretary of Punjab, director general ACE Punjab, additional director of ACE Punjab, senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations Lahore and superintendent of police (SP) Model Town Lahore were listed as respondents in the plea.

He detailed that on April 27, 2023, a first information report (FIR) was registered by ACE Gujranwala against Pervaiz Elahi who was later granted bail from the LHC till May 6.

Despite the court orders, on April 28 the respondents raided the house along with 300 to 400 police officials. He added that they broke the main gate of their residence with their armoured vehicle and entered the house without showing any respect to Elahi’s family.

Police raid Gujrat residence

Days after the police conducted a raid at the Lahore residence of former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, a similar action took place at his Gujrat home.

In a late-night raid on Monday, a heavy contingent of police cordoned off Elahi's home, Kunjah House, and tried to enter it. According to Express News, this is the fourth operation by the police at his residence.