Banking Court Judge on Moonis Elahi’s acquittal request unexpectedly sends case to LHC

Unprecedented partiality shown by the learned judge

We have full faith in LHC Chief Justic. Moonis Elahi’s Lawyers

Lahore (05-07-2011) During the hearing of the acquittal petition of Moonis Elahi the senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League in the NICL case today the Banking Court Judge Abdul Rasheed unexpectedly refused to further hear the case and sent it to Chief Justice Lahore High Court. Moonis Elahi’s lawyers expressing their strong dissatisfaction on this decision said that the law had not been followed and the learned judge before taking the decision neither heard their arguments nor considered the superior courts’ earlier judgments that had been put before him.

At the outset of the hearing which instead of morning began at 2pm Moonis Elahi’s lawyers requested the learned judge to take into account the fact that all the eight prosecution witnesses and the FIA’s Investigating Officer had testified to Moonis Elahi’s innocence. Later talking to the media Moonis Elahi’s lawyers Rai Bashir Ahmad and Amjad Parvez said that the attitude of the learned judge from the beginning of the proceedings was inflexible and a test of their nerves. They said that today the learned court was to hear Moonis Elahi’s acquittal petition filed under CRPC 249/A and as a guide line they had also presented the Supreme Court and High Court decisions in this regard as references but the learned judge started putting new questions to Mohammad Maalik instead. On being pointed out that questioning Mohammad Maalik was outside the scope of the acquittal petition the learned judge angrily closed the file and declared that he didn’t want to hear the case and was sending it to Chief Justice, Lahore High Court, said Moonis Elahi’s lawyers. They said that the lawyers had sacrificed their lives and well being for the supremacy of the judiciary but the learned judge’s demeanour today nullified these sacrifices. Moonis Elahi’s lawyers said that the partial behaviour demonstrated by the learned judge today was unprecedented. They said that the learned court could see that the case had clearly gone in Moonis Elahi’s favour and that the FIA had failed to prove his involvement. In this situation there was no other recourse available to the court but to acquit Moonis Elahi, opined the lawyers. It will be a matter of honour if the Lahore High Court Chief Justice hears the case as we have full confidence in him, the lawyers added.

Throughout today’s proceedings a very large number of PML workers and Moonis Elahi supporters remained outside the court and continued to chant slogans in their leader’s favour.

Islamabad (05-July 2011)

President Pakistan Muslim League Senator Chaudhry Shujat Hussain commenting on the news item relating to suspension of Zafar Qureshi described him as a mere stooge. He said there is a limit of everything but when something exceeds the limit facts have to be revealed. The fact is that different attempts are being made for the achievement of the agenda of Mian Nawaz Sharif.

In a press statement here today, Senator Chaudhry Shujat Hussain said that FIA after completing his investigations submitted the chalan in the court. He said it may be very rare that anybody knowing allegations on him returned from London and himself appeared before the court and inform the court that instead of seeking bail he would welcome hearing of the case, which is already in progress. As for as the case is related, it revolves around a person who purchased some land and sold to NILC at a very high price and later the deal was cancelled and he refunded all the money. The name of Moonis Elahi is not in the FIR of this case and there is no evidence of his involvement in this sale and purchase.

Chaudhry Shujat Hussain further said that the prosecution witnesses who were forced to sign statements, on the basis of which Moonis Elahi’s bail was rejected by the High Court, but the same prosecution witnesses have revealed the facts in the court. He further said that a lady bank officer who purported to have said in her statement earlier that Moonis Elahi called her in his office to open a ghost account but she stated before the court that she is seeing Mr. Moonis Elahi first time here in the court. Similarly the other prosecution witnesses narrated the facts.

PML President added that on the basis of the statements of the witnesses in the court, Moonis Elahi moved for his quit all request, which brought opposition political and non political personalities into action. When the FIA made routine transfers of the officials who remained posted at once place for ten to fifteen years, these elements termed these transfers as vindictive.

Chaudhry Shujat Hussain further said in his statement that his family has faced very tuff times in the past. Moonis Elahi has spent only five months in jail yet, while his grandfather Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Shaheed has spent six years in different jails including one year in Kohlu Jail (Balochistan). Concluding he said we are not worried at all but know very well how to face steadfastly the intrigues of their political opponents, and tell the people how efforts are being made for the achievement of the agenda of Nawaz Sharif.

Pakistan Muslim League is following the Quaid-e-Azam’s policy of non-interference in Kashmir politics: Prime Minister Azad Kashmir

Islamabad (July02-2011) Chaudhry Shujat Hussain President Pakistan Muslim League and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi Senior Central Leader Pakistan Muslim League and Senior Federal Minister today met the Azad Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Ateeq Ahmad Khan in Islamabad to discuss the post-election scenario in Azad Kashmir. Chaudhry Shujat Hussain said that the Kashmiri people had the right to express their opinion and no one could be allowed to encroach on their right to elect representatives of their own choice. He said that elections in Azad Kashmir should be held independent of external elements and Raiwind’s meddling in AJK affairs had to stop.

Chaudhry Parvez Elahi talking to journalists on the occasion said that Kashmir was and would always be the jugular vein of the nation and it was important for all the political parties to show unity and solidarity on this most important national issue. He said that interference in the Azad Kashmir elections was not being liked by the world and this could cause damage to the Kashmir cause.

The Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Sardar Ateeq Ahmad Khan thanked Chaudhry Shujat Hussain and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi for adhering to the Quaid-e-Azam’s policy of non-interference in Kashmir politics. He asked the other parties to also follow this policy and respect the mandate of the people of Azad Kashmir.

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