LAHORE - An anti-corruption court on Friday adjourned hearing of Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case against former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and others till January 25.
Anti-Corruption Court Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted proceedings of the case, wherein Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and Muhammad Khan Bhatti, former principal secretary to chief minister Punjab, were also produced. The copies of challan were distributed to the accused, including 10 other co-accused, who were appointed illegally in the Punjab Assembly, with the court orders during the proceedings. The court noted the non-appearance of an accused, Tahir, and summoned him on the next date of hearing, January 25. The court observed that after distribution of a copy of challan to Tahir, the accused would be indicted in the case. The Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab had filed the challan, accusing Parvez Elahi of unlawful appointments and kickbacks. Allegedly, qualified candidates were denied positions while those who had not taken exams were appointed. The ACE claimed that, as then chief minister, Parvez Elahi misused his authority, influencing appointments after receiving bribes.