After alleging that its agents were “attacked with stones, batons, and petrol” during a raid on the PTI leader’s home in Lahore to arrest him in a corruption case the day before, Punjab Police on Saturday filed a case against the former chief minister Parvez Elahi and others.
Twelve persons, largely his workers, were taken into custody by the raiding team, which was made up of police and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) personnel, after they used an armoured vehicle to force open the main gate of the former Punjab chief minister’s Gulberg residence. There were also some women who had been detained by female police personnel.
Despite thorough searching of the home, the police were unable to locate Elahi. They had also attempted to break into Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, president of the PML-Q,’s neighbouring home, but Shujaat’s sons had resisted them.
A first information report (FIR) was filed today at the Ghalib Market Police Station in Lahore, Pakistan, invoking Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 as well as Sections 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to prevent a public servant from performing his duty), 109 (abetment), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149e
When the police arrived at Elahi’s home to make the arrest, his employees “locked the house from the inside, while a countless” number of people present inside threatened the raiding team, pelted them with stones, and even doused them in petrol, causing a fire to break out,” according to the FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com.
The complaint said that as a result, more police contingents were called in to handle the situation, and an APC van was used to break into the home.
Elahi allegedly utilised the back door of the residence to flee while his supporters and employees “baton-charged the police party,” according to the FIR.
The raid on Elahi’s home was denounced by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, who also announced that the party will meet today to decide whether or not to continue discussions with the government about the election schedule.
“The attack on Parvez Elahi’s house, keeping Ali Amin Gandapur in wrongful confinement despite being granted bail, and workers’ arrests are making the negotiation process meaningless,
“How will the government’s negotiation team make important decisions if it cannot contribute to maintaining the peace even after assurances?” Fawad queried.
In a meeting led by Imran Khan today, we will decide whether or not to continue the negotiation process.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice chairman of the PTI, said in a statement to the media in Lahore today that his party wants the situation to proceed in accordance with the Constitution notwithstanding the government’s failed attempt to arrest the PTI president last night by breaking into his home.
In response to the raid on Elahi’s home, Qureshi encouraged the government to take responsibility for its own acts rather than placing the blame elsewhere.
He further emphasised that the negotiations were being led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, whilst they were being opposed by the leader of the Pakistan Democratic Movement, Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Now, Qureshi said, “the coalition parties must choose which direction they want to move in. They must persuade the maulana and make Khawaja Asif understand if they want the conversations to proceed.
Elahi’s kid protests the LHC raid
Rasikh Elahi, Elahi’s son, today contested the raid on his father’s home in Lahore High Court (LHC).
The Punjab government, ACE director general and additional director general, Lahore Inspector General Dr. Usman Anwar and senior superintendent of police, and Model Town superintendent of police were named respondents in the plea, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com.
The appeal, which was submitted by Amir Saeed Rawn and Afsar Raza Khan, sought the LHC to deem the raid “illegal and in violation of the law as well as the petitioner’s fundamental rights” and to order the respondents to cease it.
Additionally, it requested that the court issue a “order to remove all unauthorised occupants from Zahoor Elahi Road.”
Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI, tweeted after midnight on Saturday, “Strongly condemn the illegal raid on Pervez Elahi’s home with no respect to the women and family members present.”
“We are witnessing the breakdown of Pakistan’s democracy in front of our very eyes. There is only jungle law, according to the previous premier, and no respect is shown for the Constitution, Supreme Court rulings, or the [people’s] fundamental rights.
