Naqvi denounces police raid on Shujaat’s residence in bid to arrest Elahi,

Denouncing the police raid on Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s house in a bid to arrest former Punjab chief minister and PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi has said that though he is not in Pakistan these days, but no one will be allowed to take illegal action against anyone, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Chief Minister Naqvi wrote: “No Illegal action will be allowed by anyone.

“I am in Medina and getting all the details. Appalled to know that team went to arrest Ch Pervaiz Elahi but stormed Ch Shaujaat’s House in which Ch Salik Hussain got injured. Law should take it’s course.”

No Illegal action will be allowed by anyone ,
I am in Medina and getting all the details. Appalled to know that team went to arrest Ch Pervaiz Elahi but stormed Ch Shaujaat’s House in which Ch Salik Hussain got injured. Law should take it’s course https://t.co/tT0km3KQ7j

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) April 30, 2023

Anti-corruption and police officials raided the residence of PTI President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in Lahore to arrest him late on Friday night. The police officials thoroughly searched the house but could not find Elahi.

Then the police tried to force their entry into the adjoining residence of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, but they were resisted by Shujaat’s sons and his son Ch Salik Hussain also got injured during the police action.

Earlier, Saalik had revealed that his paternal aunt (Shujaat’s sister), who is also Elahi’s sister-in-law (wife’s sister) had told the police party that the PTI leader was at the PML-Q leader’s house.

“The police did what they did but what our people did not do less,” the PML-Q leader had written in the Tweet that contained a video showing police party trying to break in his house.

It may be noted that Naqvi’s statement came after the Centre distanced itself from the raid, blaming the Punjab caretaker set-up for the incident.

On Saturday night, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar held an important meeting with PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and said that the federal government had nothing to do with the raid.

Dar expressed regret over the raid on the PTI president’s house and violation of the sanctity of “chadar and char dewari” — a phrase used to describe family’s dignity.

During the meeting, Qureshi apprised Dar of the sentiments of the family of Elahi regarding the “illegal attack” at their residence.

“The federal government has nothing to do with the attack on the house of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi,” Dar was quoted as saying in the meeting.

The finance minister added that the raid was conducted by the Punjab caretaker government.

Dar said he would inform the ruling alliance’s leadership about the reservations of the PTI regarding the police action and would get back to the opposition party on the matter soon.

Meanwhile, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal criticised the PTI leaders for “using women and children” as a shield to evade arrest.

Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”, the federal minister said both PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Elahi were not arrested when police conducted a raid at their residence.

“We never used wheelchairs or cried on TV,” he said while criticising the PTI’s leaders for raising hue and cry over arrests.

He said PML-N leaders — including its supremo Nawaz Sharif — faced “bogus cases and political victimisation” during the tenure of the PTI-led government.

Speaking on the same programme, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, PML-Q leader and the nephew of Elahi, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the police raid in a phone call with him.