PTI president Parvez Elahi arrested in Lahore

Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, former chief minister of Punjab and president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was arrested in Lahore on Thursday.

His arrest comes days after a district and sessions court in Lahore had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant.

According to the court decision last week, the warrant was issued at the request of an investigating officer (IO) since Elahi had been "avoiding arrest ”.

“The pre-arrest bail of the accused was dismissed due to non-prosecution vide order dated May 25 and he is not appearing before the court and also not joining the investigation. In view of the request of the IO, let non-bailable arrest warrants of accused Chaudhry Parvez Elahi be issued for June 2, 2023,” it reads.

Police have attempted to arrest the former chief minister of Punjab several times over the past few days.

On Thursday, police raided his Lahore residence twice after an Anti-Corruption Court dismissed his pre-arrest bail in a case pertaining to irregularities in development projects launched during his term as the Punjab chief minister, but failed to arrest him as he was not available.

In an earlier media interview, Elahi's lawyer Asim Chaudhry said the police would only be able to enter his client's Lahore home with a search warrant.

He maintained that his client’s bail was dismissed on the basis of a report declaring a previously submitted medical report of Elahi as fake.

“We are now challenging the report,” he added.

Since May 9 riots and attacks on military installations, the authorities have arrested several high-profile PTI leaders.

Moonis Elahi says 'we are and will remain in PTI'

Reacting to his father's detainment, Moonis Elahi said when the arrests of PTI leaders started in January, his father told him they will support Imran Khan even if he is arrested.

"Three days ago my father and mother repeated the same thing," he stressed, adding: "We are and will remain in PTI."

Moonis also claimed that his father was arrested on false charges.

Pervez Elahi says he stands firm with Imran Khan

Last week, Elahi reaffirmed his commitment to party chairman Imran Khan. In a video message, Elahi said he and his son Monis Elahi will continue to stand with Imran Khan and PTI.

“Moonis and I are standing with Imran Khan together, but that doesn’t mean we support his narrative.”

Elahi contended that the army was his own institution. “I have always tried to keep good ties with the establishment and the judiciary. There are no two thoughts on it.”

In a related development last month, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, the younger brother of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, announced to leave PTI.

Addressing a press conference after meeting with his older brother at Muslim League House, Wajahat said that he and his son — Chaudhry Hussain Elahi — had returned to the party, hoping that his elder brother would welcome the returnees.

“Perhaps, those who created cracks [within the family] are filling it,” said the former PTI leader without naming anyone.