After late-night raid: police book Parvez Elahi on several charges including terrorism

Punjab Police on Saturday booked former chief minister Parvez Elahi on several charges including terrorism following a raid at his house late on Friday night in an attempt to arrest him.

In the case, it stated that law enforcement officials were “attacked with stones, batons and petrol” during the raid.

A first information report (FIR) was lodged at Lahore’s Ghalib Market Police Station invoking Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, and Section 324 (attempted murder) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) among others.

As per the FIR, Parvez Elahi's employees “locked the house from the inside, while a countless” number of people present inside threatened the team when it arrived at his home.

Parvez Elahi's workers also pelted law enforcement authorities with stones and doused petrol on them, causing a fire to break out, said the FIR.

Elahi's son moves Lahore High Court

Parvez Elahi's son Rasikh Elahi also registered on Saturday a petition in the Lahore High Court against the Punjab Police's attempt to arrest his father on Friday night.

In his petition, he blamed the Punjab government, the Anti Corruption Establishment Punjab and the inspector general (IG) Punjab for the "illegal raid and violation of fundamental rights", urging the court to intervene in the matter.

He added that the court had granted bail to Parvez Elahi, who is the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president, in an anti-corruption case till May 6.

It further requested the court to ensure the fundamental rights of the petitioner and halt the arrest till the expiry of his bail.

Rasikh also requested the court to take action against those involved in the "illegal raid and the ones that misused their powers and violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner".

Parvez Elahi's house raided on Friday

A heavy contingent of Punjab Police had earlier raided the residence of Parvez Elahi in a late-night attempt to arrest him, it was reported.

Footage aired on television, and later social media showed the police barging into the house with law-enforcement personnel climbing over boundary walls to enter the premises.

The police could not find the former Punjab CM at the residence, but reports suggested that 12 individuals, apparently those working at the premises, were arrested.

The late-night raid was confirmed by Moonis Elahi, Parvez Elahi's son, late on Friday night.

"Punjab police is at our residence to arrest my father right now in a case for which he got bail today. His bail hearing was covered by all media outlets," tweeted Moonis, reiterating PTI Chairman Imran Khan's statement that the "rule of law had ended in Pakistan".

Reactions also poured with PTI chief Imran condemning what he called an "illegal raid".

"No respect to the women & family members present. We are seeing the dismantling of democracy in Pakistan before our eyes. There is no respect for Constitution, Supreme Court verdicts, or fundamental rights of the people - only law of jungle," he tweeted.

PDM-PTI talks

The raid came just hours after members of the government -- the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) -- and PTI officials wrapped up their second round of election talks at Parliament House.

Leaders from both sides said that they had tabled their proposals and dialogue would resume on Tuesday. After the end of the talks, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said some progress was made, giving hope that the dispute on holding fresh elections was reaching its conclusion.

PTI leaders voiced a similar reaction, but did bring up what they called "illegal arrests" that needed to stop since they had "no justification".

It was not immediately clear how the Punjab Police's attempt to arrest Parvez Elahi, who was appointed the PTI president in March, would hinder the process of ongoing talks.

In February 2023, Elahi announced he was joining PTI along with 10 other PML-Q members.

“We will always support PTI chief Imran Khan, and never do anything that harms their new party,” he said.