PTI condemns Elahi’s rearrest

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday expressed strong condemnation over the rearrest of former Punjab chief minister and party Central President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi shortly after he was released on the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The PTI took to the microblogging social media platform, X, to share a video of Elahi's rearrest and voiced its dismay.

In one post, the PTI stated, "Another abduction of Parvez Elahi, former speaker and Punjab CM. Pakistan has descended into complete lawlessness, as not even Court orders are being respected!"

In a subsequent post, the PTI described the incident as a shameful act, writing: "Absolutely shameful how Court orders keep getting disrespected by the fascist regime. Parvez Elahi’s crime is standing for Pakistan, his crime is not leaving the PTI despite massive pressure. We have become a complete lawless country."

Farrukh Habib, the PTI's president for West Punjab, also shared the video of Elahi's rearrest, stating: "Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is being arrested for the tenth time, court orders are being disregarded. He has reportedly been named in the FIR of 7ATA, already registered. The Lahore High Court has issued orders to present Parvez Elahi Sahib in the Lahore court tomorrow."

Elahi was apprehended from outside the Islamabad Police Lines shortly after the IHC suspended his detention order.

This time, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested the former Punjab chief minister in a case registered at the CTD police station in Islamabad.

Read also: Elahi arrested once again after IHC’s release orders

Previously, the IHC declared the detention of Elahi under the Maintenance of Public Order-III (MPO 3) null and void, ordering his immediate release, and issuing notices to both parties.

The court directed authorities to present Elahi at the next hearing, prohibiting him from engaging in any provocative activities or making media statements until the next hearing.

Elahi's lawyer apprised the court that the LHC had already ordered his release on Sept 1 and prohibited law enforcement agencies from arresting the PTI president in any other case.

However, the Islamabad police violated the LHC's order and arrested the former chief minister.

The counsel for Elahi also revealed that he was "snatched" from Lahore police custody and transported to Islamabad by officials in plainclothes who forcibly took him and placed him in a vehicle.

Subsequently, the IHC invalidated Elahi's arrest under MPO 3 and ordered his immediate release.