In a significant development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench provided major relief to former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi on July 16, 2025, by suspending an accountability court’s decision in a graft case. The ruling offers temporary respite to the veteran politician amid ongoing legal challenges.
The two-member bench, comprising Justices Shahram Sarwar and Sajid Mehmood Sethi, heard Elahi’s writ petition and issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The court suspended the accountability court’s order and exempted Elahi from mandatory personal appearances before the NAB court, citing his health concerns. Elahi’s legal team, led by advocates Sardar Abdul Razzaq Khan and Aamir Saeed Raan, argued that the 79-year-old politician is undergoing medical treatment in Lahore, making frequent court appearances challenging. They contended that the trial court’s dismissal of Elahi’s exemption request was unlawful.
During the hearing, Justice Sarwar questioned the NAB prosecutor’s objection to the exemption, to which the prosecutor argued that Elahi’s medical condition was not severe enough to justify relief. However, the LHC admitted the petition for regular proceedings, suspended the accountability court’s decision, and scheduled a detailed hearing after issuing notices to NAB.
This ruling follows a separate court decision granting Elahi an exemption in a money laundering case, highlighting his ongoing legal battles. The LHC’s intervention underscores the judiciary’s role in balancing legal accountability with humanitarian considerations, with further proceedings expected to clarify the case’s trajectory.
