Pervaiz Elahi case: LHC issues contempt warning to ACE
The anti-corruption squad in Punjab was unable to present a warrant for the former chief minister’s arrest in court.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of the Lahore High Court (LHC) slammed ACE Additional Director General Waqas Hassan on Wednesday, saying he “will not be spared if contempt is established on [his] part” in the arrest case of former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.
After being granted protective bail in that case, Elahi petitioned Justice Sheikh to initiate contempt proceedings against ACE officials and the police high-ups for conducting a raid on his Lahore house.
Director General of ACE Punjab Sohail Zafar Chatha, Additional DG of ACE Punjab Waqas Hassan, SSP of Operations Sohaib Ashraf, and SP of Model Town Ammara Shirazi all filed responses on behalf of the respondents as the hearing got underway.
The law officer explained to the court that there had been some miscommunication regarding the raid: petitioner Elahi had been granted bail in FIR dated 6/2023, but the raid was supposed to take place in FIR dated 7/2023; however, the record available to the ACE team incorrectly referred to FIR 7/2023.
In response, Justice Sheikh said that the case involves two issues: the first is an error on the part of the ATC employees, and the second involves comments made by the additional director general against the court during the search.
The judge said, “This court has summoned him in person in connection to his remarks.”
“Sir, neither I committed any contempt of court nor cloud I even think about it,” Hassan said.
The ACE team sent over Elahi’s information to the LHC court system, who obtained an arrest order for him. The police officer, however, avoided answering the question and did not have the warrant available.
Advocate Amir Saeed Rawn, representing the petitioner, simultaneously displayed a video clip on his phone in which Hassan was heard saying “he does not care if he has to face contempt charges.”
After learning that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader had been granted bail in the case in which the ACE team sought his arrest, the anti-corruption officer allegedly made these statements during the search on Elahi’s home.
The law enforcement official testified that hundreds of cameras were there, but it would need more than a two- or three-word film to prove contempt.
“The anti-corruption official is ready to tender an unconditional apology if this court believes this is a matter of contempt of court,” he insisted.
Justice Sheikh noted that the court has not yet received any responses. After hearing this, the law enforcement official said that all responses were “here in his hands but there are some mistakes in them” and that he would want to submit the responses after carefully reviewing them.
The court insisted that he had sent Additional DG Hassan a show-cause notice, but that Hassan had failed to respond. As a result, Hassan retracted his response and made sure to include it once again in the show-cause letter.
The judge then ordered him to appear in court again on May 4 (today) to present his defence.
