LHC releases detailed order in Elahi case

Confirms single bench decision on July 14 aligns with established principles

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has provided an in-depth account of its ruling regarding an appeal filed by the Punjab caretaker government against a prior LHC directive that prohibited authorities from arresting former Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi in undisclosed cases.

On August 21, a division bench of the LHC, presided over by Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan, dismissed the Punjab government's intra-court appeal.

The authorities had submitted the appeal in response to a single-judge bench's July 14 decision, which restrained authorities from apprehending Parvez Elahi, the president of PTI, in undisclosed cases, and granted him protective bail in two cases.

Read LHC dismisses govt appeal in Elahi case

In a comprehensive 9-page written statement, the bench emphasized that there is no necessity for intervention in the single bench's judgment. It acknowledged that the government raised objections to the judge issuing the verdict from his chamber. The bench stated that the single bench's decision adheres to the principles outlined by the Supreme Court.

The bench also observed that the government objected to not being listed as a respondent in Elahi's petition. Citing arguments presented by Elahi's counsel Ali Zafar, the bench noted that if the Punjab government was not named as a respondent, there was no need for it to contest the ruling.