The accountability court in Lahore held a hearing regarding the reference of alleged corruption and kickbacks in development projects involving PTI leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and others. The hearing was conducted by Judge Zubair Shahzad Kiani. Pervez Elahi did not appear in court again today.

During the hearing, the court inquired about why Pervez Elahi was not present, to which his lawyer explained that Elahi had slipped in the bathroom the previous evening, injuring his back and ankle.

The NAB prosecutor argued that Pervez Elahi routinely presents medical reports to avoid the indictment, to which the court responded by asking if the indictment could be framed for the other accused present. The court noted that the indictment against Pervez Elahi could be postponed for another day.

The prosecutor informed the court that separate indictments could be framed for the co-accused. However, the lawyer for co-accused Muhammad Khan Bhatti opposed this, stating that separate charges could not be framed for the accused.

The lawyer for the former chief minister argued that Pervez Elahi is the main accused, and without his presence, the charges against the other accused cannot be framed. He further stated that framing charges against others in Elahi’s absence would be illegal, and requested more time to set a plea for Pervez Elahi, which would allow charges to be framed.

Later, the court framed charges against co-accused Muhammad Khan Bhatti and others. The indictment against Pervez Elahi was set for January 7, and the case was adjourned for further proceedings.