An accountability court on Tuesday formally 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 before the court to deny the charges, which include receiving kickbacks through his former principal secretary, Muhammad Khan Bhatti.
The reference alleges that Bhatti facilitated the appointments of preferred officials in the Punjab Highway Department to execute the scheme.
During the hearing, court staff completed Elahi’s attendance in 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, stating that delays caused by the accused’s tactics had necessitated a phased indictment process.
Several other co-accused, including Bhatti, have already been charged.
The NAB claims Elahi, alongside his son Moonis Elahi, orchestrated the scheme, taking bribes under the guise of development initiatives in Gujrat.
The court expressed frustration with recurring medical exemptions filed by the defence, which often disrupted proceedings.
SC issues notice to Elahi in deputy speaker ruling case
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a notice to former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as it reopens a case concerning a controversial ruling when by the provincial assembly’s former deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.
The notice was served as part of a review filed by former CM Hamza Shahbaz, who had challenged the court’s earlier verdict that nullified the deputy speaker’s ruling.
During the hearing, Justice Aminuddin Khan inquired whether the case had become irrelevant.
Hamza Shahbaz’s counsel, Haris Azmat, argued it remained significant, pointing to previous notices issued to all parties by the constitutional bench.
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar asked about Elahi’s representation, noting his status as a respondent in the case.
The Supreme Court had previously invalidated the deputy speaker’s decision, which was instrumental in electing Hamza Shahbaz as Punjab’s chief minister.
