GUJRAT: Police attempted to conduct a raid on Kunjah House, the residence of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and his son MNA Moonis Elahi to arrest senior PML-Q leader and former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain in connection with Kotla civil hospital case, but failed to enter its premises.

A police party headed by acting District Police Officer (DPO) Investigation SP Muzamil Hussain, besieged Kunjah House around 4:30am on Wednesday, along with a number of vehicles.

However, official sources said, the police could not enter the house “as its gate was locked from inside” and returned empty-handed after remaining there for a few hours.

The sources said the officials of some other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were also accompanying the police team.

A spokesman for Gujrat police said the raid had been conducted to arrest Mr Wajahat in connection with the cases registered against him after a clash between the supporters of Kotla group of PML-N and PML-Q workers, on a tip-off that the ex-minister was present at Kunjah House.

Following the clash over renaming of the Kotla Civil Hospital as Zahoor Elahi Shaheed THQ hospital on Jan 16 the last, the police had booked at least 234 people of Kotla group, and at least 30 others, including Musa Elahi, by adding section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act against the PML-Q leader.

Another case was lodged against Musa and his father Wajahat Hussain at the Ghalib Market police station in Lahore on the charges of planning to assault the lawmakers at Kotla after a telephonic conversation (purportedly between the father and son) was leaked.

Musa Elahi is on an interim bail granted by an anti-terrorism court of Gujranwala till Feb 2 (today), whereas his father has not yet filed a bail application.

The police said that the investigation of both these cases had now been combined and Inspector Sarfraz Ranjha was assigned the probe.

Parvez blames caretakers, Centre

Former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi has alleged that the raids on his house and other places were being conducted on the wish of Punjab caretaker set-up and federal government.

“This two-month-old government and [caretaker CM] Mohsin Naqvi should work on holding free and fair elections, instead of getting involved in these illegal activities,” he added.

Later in a tweet, Mr Elahi said he would be approaching the courts against the raid.

“We will go to court against these illegal actions of the caretaker government and have full faith in an independent judiciary.”

He also said that while terrorism was on the rise in the country, the government was using the police and administration for “revenge”.

Meanwhile, PML-Q MNA Moonis Elahi in his tweet said the police raided their residence without any warrant.

“25 police vehicles are understandable, but what were two black Vigos doing with them? Were you looking for Indian spies,” he tweeted.

Later, in the day, scores of the PML-Q workers gathered at the Zahoor Elahi House in Gujrat city and in a rally marched on different city roads. They chanted slogans against, what they termed, the political victimisation of their leadership. The rally culminated at the GTS Chowk.

Speaking to the protesters, Sameera Elahi, the sister of Mr Wajahat, said the people of Gujrat were standing by Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi and such tactics could never deviate the party from its stance. Parvez Elahi did not use such tactics against the political opponents, she added.

Ex-MPAs Khalid Asghar Ghural, Safia Javed, and other party officials were also among the participants of the protest rally.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023