Elahi granted bail in FJC attack case

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday approved the bail of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) riot case.

ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain granted bail to the PTI central president against surety bonds worth Rs20,000, ordering his release.

Lawyers Babar Awan and Sardar Abdul Razzaq represented Elahi as his counsels while prosecutor Raja Naveed was also present.

The court remarked that the prosecution failed to find any evidence against Elahi during his lengthy remand and that the accused should not be investigated further.

During the hearing, the prosecution argued to present the record of the case. However, the judge directed them to begin directly with their arguments.

Elahi’s lawyer Awan, in his arguments, stated that Elahi was not nominated in the first information report (FIR) and had no role in the incident.

“The police, too, did not conduct any investigation against him in this case. They could have submitted an interim challan within 17 days.”

The PTI leader’s counsel added that the prosecution had no proof of Elahi’s presence at the scene of the incident or of his participation in the protest. “All the accused named in the said FIR are on bail,” Awan added.

Read PBC condemns Elahi's detention, 'manhandling' as he moves IHC

Following Awan’s statements, the other Elahi’s lawyer Razzaq presented his arguments.

Razzaq, in defence of his client, claimed that Elahi was arrested in various cases but the prosecution had no evidence against him.

“Chairman PTI, Asad Umar and other accused leaders also got bail.”

However, the prosecutor argued that Elahi provided financial support for the attack on the judicial complex through digital means.

The court inquired the prosecutor about their delayed nomination for Elahi’s arrest in the judicial complex riot case. “We nominated him when our informant told us about his participation,” the lawyer argued.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the ATC granted bail to Elahi.

Following his multiple arrests, Elahi stated that he had decided to file a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday to avoid arrests in any further cases. “Razzaq will file a plea shortly to avoid any further rearrests.”

There was a clash between the police and the PTI on March 18 amid party Chairman Imran Khan’s appearance at the FJC for a hearing of the Toshakhana case.

On Sept 5, five months after the incident, Elahi was arrested in the FJC case hours after the IHC had suspended his detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance and directed his release.

An ATC had granted the police a two-day physical remand of the former Punjab chief minister and later sent him to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in the FJC attack case.