A Lahore district court sent PTI President Pervaiz Elahi and Punjab Assembly Secretary Rai Mumtaz Hussain to jail on judicial remand in a case pertaining to illegal recruitment in the provincial assembly.

The court, in its reserved judgment, rejected the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s plea for physical remand of the former chief minister. A written order on the judgement is yet to be issued.

ACE officials presented the PTI president, who was re-arrested on Saturday after a court discharged him in graft cases, in court amid tight security. Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Murtaza Virk heard ACE’s request for Pervaiz’s physical remand.

Aaj News correspondent, Saeed Baloch, who was covering the case, said that the ACE’s team had sought 14-day physical remand of Pervaiz, alleging that illegal appointments were made when the accused was serving as the Punjab chief minister.

“Such people were appointed in Grade 12 and 17 posts that did not fall on merit and the accused tampered with the record. He [Pervaiz] changed it and appointed his favourites to those positions,” the ACE team said and claimed that they have a complete record and documentary proof to support such accusations.

The team claimed that the deserving candidates failed the testing services exam.

They demanded that they want to conduct more investigations against the PTI president and Punjab Assembly Secretary Rai Mumtaz Hussain and sought 14-day physical remand for the accused.

ACE’s concerns related to judge

The ACE spokesperson alleged that there was clear evidence of bias in the work of Special Magistrate Murtaza. The interim Punjab government had also expressed such concerns when Pervaiz was acquitted after his arrest on June 1.

“Despite the merit, the lawyers of the failed candidates have also distrusted Judge Ghulam Murtaza in a private capacity,” the spokesperson claimed and added that the judge showed “partiality” by acquitting Pervaiz on June 2.

He added that remand for Pervaiz should not be sought from the duty judge and described the alleged illegal appointments and promotions in the Punjab Assembly as “dacoity in national resources”.

The spokesperson claimed that the former chief minister appointed personal employees in the provincial assembly and the accused was arrested after “completing” all legal formalities.

“Action against illegal recruitment in Punjab Assembly was registered on the basis of evidence. There are clear pieces of evidence of Pervaiz’s involvement in corruption,” he said and expressed hope that the court would hear cases on the merits.

According to the law, he added that physical remand of the accused was necessary for investigation.

Sunday’s hearing

When the hearing resumed after concerns were raised over the judge, the ACE director general said that their officer had taken the request to the judge, but his office was closed.

“If I talk about your favour, it is right, if I don’t, I am wrong,” the judge said and advised the DG to challenge the decision if he deemed it wrong.

“I am the same judge who [approved the plea] for Muhammad Khan Bhatti’s remand,” he said, “I am the same the same judge who [approved the plea] for PTI workers’ remand.”

He added that there were objections to hearing the case, adding: “I don’t want to talk any such thing.”

The ACE lawyer alleged that the results of the testing service were “tampered” with and such appointments were made. “Candidates who failed were recruited as anti-corruption lawyers. Those who passed the exams were not considered.”

The ACE’s lawyer contented that contenders scoring 60 marks failed and those with merely a score of eight were passed. “All this evidence is on record and we need Elahi’s 14-day physical remand,” he said.

Perviaz’s lawyer contended there was no other allegation against his client apart from changes in the test results. He said the Punjab Assembly speaker had the right to appoint anyone, adding that the OTS was still functional and could not be questioned.

The judge subsequently reserved his decision on ACE’s request for Elahi’s physical remand.

‘Doesn’t matter if they register 100 cases against me’

Pervaiz told reporters that even if “they [government] register 100 cases [against me], it would not make a difference”.

He added that his message to PTI members and supporters was to “put up a fight against these tactics employed by them [authorities] with bravery and not to get worried as you are fighting for the country”.

“Stand firm and continue to fight against them,” he added.

Re-arrested on Saturday

Pervaiz was re-arrested on Saturday after a court in Gujranwala acquitted him in two corruption cases due to a lack of evidence.

“Anti-Corruption Establishment in Lahore arrested Pervaiz Elahi in illegal appointments in the Punjab Assembly case,” said the spokesperson. “Pervaiz Elahi made 12 illegal appointments of Grade 17 in the Punjab Assembly.”

The spokesperson alleged that failed candidates in the Punjab Assembly were recruited by altering their records. Fake testing services were hired for scams in the recruitment process, the spokesperson claimed.

“In anti-corruption inquiry, fake recruitments in Punjab Assembly were proved. There is clear evidence of corruption in recruitment,” it was added.

More to follow…