Islamabad, (UNI) An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday approved a two-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi in a case pertaining to an attack on Judicial Complex Islamabad.
He was taken into custody by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police after the ATC announced the reserved verdict, Geo news reports.
During the proceedings in ATC today, Elahi’s Lawyer Ali Bukhari prayed to the court that there was no mention of interrogation in the police’s request for physical remand.
“What did the investigating officer do in 24 hours?” Elahi’s counsel implored. “The police have nothing to investigate.
The court will have to see if there is really a need for a probe against Parvez Elahi.”
Bukhari further argued before the court that he was the counsel of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the same case and his bail was confirmed. “There is no need for an identification parade as the whole country knows who Parvez Elahi is,” the counsel added.
Presenting his argument, the prosecutor said that Elahi was needed by Islamabad police in a case filed in March.
“Evidence needs to be collected. The informant told the plaintiff that Parvez Elahi was involved (in attack on the judicial complex),” the prosecutor said adding that physical remand of the PTI president was necessary.
Elahi’s counsel filed a contempt of court petition in the IHC against his client’s arrest.
A day earlier, the former Punjab chief minister was taken into custody by CTD shortly after being released by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police in compliance with the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order.
The IHC had suspended the detention of Elahi under 3-MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) and ordered the Islamabad police to release him.
The PTI president was rearrested by the personnel of the anti-terrorism division of the Islamabad police in a case relating to an attack on the Judicial Complex in the federal capital on March 18, according to media reports.
A spokesperson of the Islamabad police said that the former provincial chief executive was taken into custody in a CTD case number 3/23. “He has been arrested in the category of unknown people.”
The PTI leader was released in compliance with the orders of the IHC, the spokesperson added.
