Ch Shujaat invites Pervaiz Elahi to rejoin PML-Q

Lahore: PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain extended an invitation on Monday to PTI President Parvez Elahi, urging him to rejoin the PML-Q. This gesture came months after Elahi's departure from the PML-Q to join the PTI.

Shujaat Hussain visited Camp Jail to meet with Parvez Elahi, his cousin, where they reportedly engaged in an hour-long discussion. Accompanying Shujaat Hussain was federal minister Chaudhry Saalik Hussain.

During the meeting, Shujaat Hussain proposed that Parvez Elahi return to the PML-Q; however, sources revealed that Elahi declined the offer and expressed his commitment to the PTI. After the meeting, Elahi's son, Moonis, took to Twitter, stating that prison authorities prevented his mother and the lawyers from seeing his father in jail.

Moonis further tweeted that the prisons inspector general personally facilitated Shujaat Hussain and his son in meeting with Parvez Elahi, adding that arrangements would be made for a family meeting later this week.

In a separate development, an anti-corruption court reserved its verdict on Parvez Elahi's bail plea in an illegal recruitment case. Judge Ali Raza presided over the plea hearing and is set to announce the verdict on Tuesday.

During the hearing, the judge questioned the parties involved about the resolution of the matter. Elahi's lawyer, Rana Intezar, informed the court that he had presented arguments before the sessions judge. In response, Judge Raza expressed displeasure upon learning that the case record had been submitted in another matter and stated that he would order the registration of a case against the investigating officer.

The prosecution requested an adjournment to submit a written reply regarding the case record, which the judge granted. The judge previously asked Rana Intezar to contest the prosecution's plea, but the lawyer stated that he had not been provided with any record. Consequently, the judge summoned the parties again for further proceedings.

The case against Parvez Elahi involves allegations of 12 illegal recruitments in the Punjab Assembly for Grade 17 positions. The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) claimed that these recruitments were made through record tampering and fake testing services. Secretary Rai Mumtaz was also arrested in connection with the case based on evidence gathered by the ACE.

The situation surrounding Parvez Elahi's legal proceedings and the political invitation from Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has garnered significant attention, further highlighting the intersection of law, politics, and justice in the country.