An accountability court on Tuesday indicted former Punjab Chief Minister and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference linked to alleged corruption in development projects.
Elahi appeared in court to deny the charges, which include receiving bribes through his former principal secretary, Muhammad Khan Bhatti.
The reference alleges that Bhatti facilitated the appointment of preferred officials in the Punjab Highway Department to execute the plan.
During the hearing, court staff completed Elahi’s attendance at his vehicle, where he signed the charge sheet.
The court also summoned witnesses for the next hearing.
Judge Zubair Shehzad Kiyani presided over the session and stated that the delays caused by the accused’s tactics had necessitated a phased prosecution process.
Several other co-defendants, including Bhatti, have already been charged.
The NAB claims that Elahi, along with his son Moonis Elahi, orchestrated the scheme and accepted bribes under the guise of development initiatives in Gujrat.
The court expressed frustration with the defense’s repeated medical exemptions, which often disrupted proceedings.
SC issues notice to Elahi in case of vice president’s ruling
Pakistan’s Supreme Court has issued notice to former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as it reopens a case related to a controversial ruling by former provincial assembly deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.
The notice was given as part of a review filed by former CM Hamza Shahbaz, who had challenged the court’s earlier verdict that set aside the vice president’s ruling.
During the hearing, Justice Aminuddin Khan asked if the case had become irrelevant.
Hamza Shahbaz’s lawyer, Haris Azmat, argued that it remained important, pointing to previous notices issued to all parties by the constitutional court.
Judge Muhammad Ali Mazhar asked about Elahi’s representation and noted his status as a defendant in the case.
The Supreme Court had earlier overturned the vice president’s decision, which was instrumental in the election of Hamza Shahbaz as Punjab chief minister.
