IHC orders immediate release of Elahi

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court suspending the detention order of former chief minister and PTI Vice Chairman Pervez Elahi under 3MPO has ordered his immediate release.

Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of IHC presided over the hearing on Pervez Elahi’s petition to declare the MPO order null and void, on Tuesday.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered the release of former Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi on September 1, Elahi’s counsel argued. He said that the LHC had also barred the law enforcement agencies to arrest Parvez Elahi in any other case as well.

However, Islamabad police still arrested Elahi disregarding the High Court’s order, he said.

“It has been learned that now Parvez Elahi was taken out of Attock Jail and brought to police lines,” said the lawyer.

Justice Jahangiri inquired that when was Parvez Elahi arrested for the first time, to which his counsel responded that he was first taken in custody on June 1.

“He has been in custody for more than three months,” Justice Jahangiri said.

The court was informed that the Islamabad District Magistrate had issued Elahi’s detention order under 3MPO.

After hearing the case, the IHC suspended the detention order and ordered the immediate release of Parvez Elahi.

IHC also issued orders to Deputy Commissioner to ensure Elahi’s presence in the court in the next hearing.

The court also barred Elahi from issuing any statement until the next hearing, scheduled on Tuesday.

Islamabad District Magistrate has also been summoned at the next hearing in personal capacity.