SC questions maintainability of Elahi's plea

Asks how any court can issue a blanket ban on a particular persons arrest

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court expressed displeasure at former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi's counsel on Thursday for insisting that the order of the Lahore High Court (LHC) barring his arrest be implemented in a case lodged by the Islamabad Police.

A division bench comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood directed Elahi's counsel Barrister Latif Khosa to prepare arguments and adjourned the hearing till next week.

During the proceedings, the court questioned the maintainability of the plea and asked the counsel to explain how a high court could place a blanket ban on a certain person's arrest.

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When Khosa pointed to harassment by the police referring to Elahi's arrest each time after acquiring bail, the bench questioned the jurisdiction of the LHC's order over authorities in the Islamabad Capital Territory and pointed out that the cases were separate.

Elahi, who is also a senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and a close aide of former premier Imran Khan, has been arrested multiple times since May 9 and remains embroiled in several criminal cases.

On July 14, a single bench of the LHC restrained law enforcement authorities from arresting Elahi in any new, blind or undisclosed case while granting him protective bail in two known cases.

However, Elahi was subsequently arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in a previously undisclosed case and then again by Islamabad authorities under another Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

Elahi remains currently remains behind bars. He is due to be produced before an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on October 13.