LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Saturday condemned late-night raid on the residence of PTI president and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, terming it the “worst kind of political victimisation”.
A team of Punjab Police and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Friday night raided the PTI president’s residence, but after a six-hour-long operation they failed to apprehend the former chief minister. The action drew strong criticism from the PTI, which has already been voicing concern over the arrest of its workers and leaders.
After meeting the family of Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi pointed out to the media that the former CM was on bail and still the police raided his house to arrest him, adding that without any search warrant the sanctity of his (Chaudhry) house was violated. “I am lost for words and strongly condemn the government’s action,” he added.
He praised the PTI president and his family for showing courage and determination to face state brutality. He said that everyone knows that when PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif faced a difficult time, Chaudhry gave relief to his family. “The PTI was passing through a tough time; not too long ago the residence of PTI Chairman Imran’s residence also came under an attack when his wife was alone in the house,” he added.
Qureshi told the media that during the meeting with the coalition government, he had said that “On the one hand we were negotiating and on the other hand our workers were being arrested, what was happening.” He maintained that they came to the negotiation table in good faith.
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry in his tweet condemned the police action and said that the attack on Elahi’s house, the detention of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur despite securing bail and the arrests of the party workers were making the negotiation process meaningless. “If the government’s negotiation team could not maintain a cordial atmosphere for the talks, despite giving their assurances, how could it take big decisions? In the meeting under the PTI Chairman, we would decide whether to continue with the talks or not,” he added.
Soon after hearing the news, Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi slammed the police action on Twitter, saying the Punjab police had arrived at their residence to arrest his father, though he was granted bail in the case earlier on Friday.
PTI senior leader Senator Ali Zafar was baffled by the raid on Elahi’s house, saying on the one hand, the negotiations were in progress in a cordial atmosphere and the two parties were making progress and on the other hand a police operation was carried out. “I do not understand its purpose,” he added.
“The attack on Elahi’s house was against the norms of democracy; the sanctity of his house and women were violated. Today, we would decide whether we would attend the negotiation meeting on Tuesday,” he added.
In a statement, PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid also condemned the attack, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was resorting to the worst kind of revenge politics; the ‘imported’ government showing extreme brutality against its opponents. He added that the Punjab Police had crossed all limits of oppression and injustice at the behest of the government.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People Party senior leader and lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan condemned the raid on the house of the former Punjab Chief Minister.
While talking to the media, he said that launching raids on the residence of leaders of a specific party like that of the PTI President would make political matters even worse. He averred that a negative tradition of oppression and new ways of fascism seen during the raid at Elahi’s residence were introduced, adding that this incident must be taken seriously and barbarism has caused massive loss to the government and its allies.
He also stated that it seemed like the government was trying to derail negotiations while efforts were also being made to influence the courts in the crucial matter of Punjab and KP elections within 90 days. “The Supreme Court did not change its order and the elections would be held on May 14,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023