LAHORE: PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain reportedly met his estranged cousin Chaudhry Parvez Elahi in prison on Monday, but the camps of both leaders gave contrasting versions of what transpired in the meeting.

This was the third meeting between the two since Mr Elahi, who ditched his cousin to join PTI, was arrested in June. Since then Mr Hussain has been cajoling his cousin to join hands again and leave the side of beleaguered Imran Khan.

Mr Hussain enquired about Mr Elahi’s health and expressed his good wishes.

If sources in Mr Hussain’s camp are to be believed, Mr Elahi has agreed to quit PTI and get bail. “But Moonis Elahi seems in no mood to ditch PTI chief Imran Khan,” said PML-Q sources about Mr Elahi’s son.

Ex-CM produced before LHC in case regarding non-provision of facilities

The sources claimed Mr Elahi was also critical of his son’s decision to keep standing firm with the PTI.

The PML-Q sources said Mr Elahi said it would be better if his son himself announced the decision to part ways with the PTI amid complex family dynamics.

They claimed that an attempt was made to contact Mr Moonis during the meeting, but the call went unanswered. Mr Moonis has been in Spain since his father dissolved the Punjab Assembly in January.

Mr Moonis later replied that he was firm on his decision to stand with the PTI, sources said.

Meanwhile, sources in Mr Elahi’s camp denied any meeting between the two cousins on Monday. They also claimed Mr Moonis Elahi did not receive any call, nor sent a reply.

They claimed the PML-Q leadership was persuading the military establishment “to make Mr Elahi leave the PTI”.

Mr Hussain had earlier met Mr Elahi twice on June 19 and July 2, soon after the Eid holidays, and convinced him to rejoin the PML-Q.

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In the second meeting after Eidul Azha, Mr Elahi told his cousin he had faced all the hardships and now his son would decide the family’s political future. Sources had also stated that Mr Moonis “now considers PML-Q a dead horse”.

Soon after the meetings, Mr Elahi was granted better facilities in prison, according to reports. But Mr Elahi denied the reports, saying that the facilities were provided “only for photoshoots”.

Elahi produced in LHC

The ex-CM has already filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) against non-provision of basic facilities in jail.

On Monday, the police produced Mr Elahi before the court, where the former Punjab chief minister complained about poor facilities in jail.

Responding to a question from Justice Amjad Rafiq, Mr Elahi said he was in jail on judicial remand for over 45 days. He complained of swelling in his feet and the presence of insects in his jail barrack. He said the toilet was also in the same room.

Asked whether he had the facility of air-conditioning in jail, the PTI leader said he did not even have a fan.

He requested the court to admit him to Services Hospital for treatment.

The crowded courtroom echoed with laughter as Mr Elahi said he wanted bail like those given to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Tuesday (today) and summoned the additional chief secretary and the IG prisons.

Separately, a special court for banking offences on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for an FIA investigating officer for not producing the case record against Mr Elahi.

Judge Aslam Gondal was hearing Mr Elahi’s post-arrest bail petition in a case of unexplainable banking transactions.

The judge took exception to the failure of the IO in producing the case record and issued the warrants. Later, the proceedings were adjourned till Tuesday (today).

It may be mentioned that the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment arrested Mr Elahi outside his Lahore residence on June 1 for allegedly taking kickbacks in development projects.

The next day, he was discharged by a Lahore court, but was rearrested in a similar case registered in Gujranwala. He was discharged again on June 3, but rearrested for making “illegal recruitments” in the Punjab Assembly.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023