The Anti-Corruption Court (ATC) Lahore on Wednesday approved a one-day exemption from appearance for former Punjab CM Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in the alleged illegal recruitment case in the Punjab Assembly. Judge Javed Iqbal Warraich of the ATC heard the case against Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, former principal secretary of the Punjab Assembly Muhammad Khan Bhatti, and other accused. Muhammad Khan Bhatti and other co-accused appeared before the court and marked their attendance. 

During the hearing, an application for Parvez Elahi’s one-day exemption from appearance was filed, which the court accepted.The lawyer of co-accused Mukhtar Ranjha completed arguments on his client’s acquittal plea. The court summoned the remaining accused for arguments on their acquittal petitions at the next hearing. It is noteworthy that accused Ijaz, Zohaib-ul-Hassan, Haider Shafqat, and Mukhtar Ranjha have already filed petitions seeking acquittal. 

The prosecution informed the court that three accused, including Inayatullah Lak and Rai Mumtaz, had been declared proclaimed offenders. The court sought the record of the absconding accused from the prosecution and adjourned the hearing until November 6. The Anti-Corruption Establishment has already submitted the case challan in court. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)