LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the Islamabad Chief Commissioner and IG Police to produce PTI president and former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi before the court on Wednesday (today).
Elahi was arrested from Lahore despite the order of Justice Amjad Rafiq. The court expressed its concern over the re-arrest of Elahi.
The court was proceedings with a petition of Qaisara Elahi challenging the arrest of her husband and seeking contempt proceedings against the Islamabad police.
After Justice Amjad Rafiq, who had passed the production order of Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday, Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf heard the petition.
The Sessions Judge Attock and the deputy jail superintendent appeared as court bailiffs. However, the session judge did not produce Elahi in court. The court expressed its displeasure after Pervez Elahi was not produced before it.
The sessions judge told the court that Pervaiz Elahi was handed over to Islamabad police on Monday. “When did you reach the jail?” the judge asked. The sessions judge said Elahi was not there when he reached the jail in the afternoon.
A law officer said that Elahi was not presented due to a heart problem; the Islamabad DC prohibited him from travelling due to illness.
He told the court that after the medical check-up, Pervaiz Elahi was shifted to Police Lines, Islamabad. He said the Islamabad DC has detained Elahi under the threat of public order.
The court also asked about the CPO and the DPO who did not attend court proceedings. The court said they could be proceeded against contempt of court charges. The court also inquired why the superintendent jail did not attend the court proceedings.
The law officer said the jail superintendent could not appear in court due to certain reasons. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 11 am and summoned the Islamabad IGP and the chief commissioner.
The court expressed annoyance over the non-appearance of the Islamabad IG and issued a show-cause notice to him.
The court declared that there was a clear order of the court to produce Elahi and asked the law officer to appear and explain the matter.
The law officer opposed the petition for habeas corpus, pleading that the petition was no longer justified. He also contended that they had challenged the court order.
The counsel of Pervaiz Elahi also asked the court to direct the respondent to produce his client. The court accordingly passed the orders and rose for Wednesday (today). During last hearing, Justice Amjad Rafiq directed the district and sessions judge concerned to recover Pervaiz Elahi from Attock Jail and produce him before the court on Tuesday, besides issuing a contempt of court notice to the inspector general of Islamabad police for arresting the PTI leader despite an injunctive order.
Justice Amjad Rafiq was transferred to the Multan bench until October 28. The Chief Justice fixed Elahi’s production case for hearing before the court of Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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