Former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has been formally indicted in an accountability court over charges of corruption and kickbacks related to development projects.
On Tuesday, the court, led by Judge Zubair Shehzad Kiyani, approved Elahi’s request for a permanent exemption from attending future court hearings in person. The next hearing has been set for January 21.
Earlier in the day, Elahi appeared in court and submitted a health-related application seeking exemption from attending future proceedings. He cited ongoing health issues as the reason for his inability to appear in court on scheduled dates. He also requested that Advocate Anwar Hussain be appointed as his representative for future hearings.
Elahi’s absence from the previous hearing on December 20 had also been attributed to health concerns. During that session, six co-accused, including former Punjab Assembly Principal Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti, Naeem Iqbal, Asif, and Asghar, were indicted.
The judge had previously questioned Elahi’s absence, to which his lawyer, Chaudhry Nawaz, explained that Elahi had suffered a fall in the bathroom the previous evening, resulting in injuries to his back and ankle. According to Nawaz, doctors have advised bed rest and mobility assistance, preventing Elahi from attending the court physically.
