Parvez Elahi indicted in corruption case filed by NAB

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi, the former Punjab chief minister was formally indicted in a corruption case by an accountability court in Lahore on Monday. The case, filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), alleges that Elahi, along with his son Moonis Elahi and others, was involved in illegal development schemes, receiving bribes, and causing a loss of over Rs1 billion to the national exchequer.

During the hearing, the court summoned witnesses for the next session. Parvez Elahi, however, denied the charges against him, maintaining his innocence.

The NAB’s corruption reference accuses the former chief minister and his son of receiving kickbacks in exchange for awarding contracts to their favoured contractors. According to the reference, the father-son duo received more than Rs1 billion in bribes through intermediaries in over 200 development projects in the Gujrat district during Parvez Elahi’s second term as Punjab’s chief minister.

The NAB investigation also revealed that Elahi embezzled more than Rs744.5 million in bribes and kickbacks. Additionally, the reference claims that the family members of the Elahi family were involved in funnelling the illicit funds, with Moonis Elahi depositing €1.61 million in a foreign bank account, while his family deposited over Rs304 million in their accounts.

In addition to these corruption allegations, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab has charged Parvez Elahi with making illegal appointments during his tenure as chief minister and accepting bribes to influence recruitment processes. The ACE claims that qualified candidates were bypassed in favour of unqualified individuals who had not even taken the required exams for certain positions.

The indictment of Parvez Elahi adds to the growing legal troubles faced by senior PTI leadership. The party’s founder, Imran Khan, along with senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other PTI figures, have been imprisoned for months in connection with various cases. Imran Khan is also awaiting the verdict in a high-profile case involving a £190 million dispute.

The PTI has been engaged in ongoing negotiations with the government, though it has yet to present its charter of demands in writing. Despite this, the party has repeatedly called for the release of its leader, Imran Khan, and other party workers currently behind bars.

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