Islamabad (HRNW)- The Supreme Court of Pakistan has disposed of the Punjab government’s appeals seeking the cancellation of the bail granted to PTI Central President and former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and Muhammad Khan Bhatti in a case related to alleged illegal recruitment in Punjab.
Chaudhry Parvez Elahi appeared before the Supreme Court during the hearing. The court ruled that if the accused fail to appear before the trial court, the trial court has the authority to cancel their bail.
During the proceedings, the government lawyer informed the court that the accused had obtained adjournments 18 times. Chief Justice Yahya Afridi questioned why the accused were not appearing before the trial court.
Counsel for Parvez Elahi, Ali Zafar, argued that the prosecution’s claims were contrary to the facts, stating that his client had remained in jail for a year while charges had not yet been framed and no evidence had been presented.
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi observed that presenting evidence is the responsibility of the prosecution, but the presence of the accused in court is mandatory, adding that the law cannot be exploited for unnecessary delays.
The Supreme Court directed the trial court to proceed with the case and complete the hearing within two weeks.
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