Lahore (March 24, 2011) A local court today extended the physical remand of detained Pakistan Muslim League leader Moonis Elahi on FIA’s insistence for four more days. At the end of his 6 days remand he was brought after a delay of six hours from the court’s scheduled time. The court yard of the Lahore district courts was jam-packed with the Pakistan Muslim League leaders, workers and supporters waiting since morning for their leader’s one glimpse and enthusiastically raising slogans and waving party flags and placards.
On arrival the roof of the armored car bringing Moonis Elahi was colored red with the buffet of rose petals showered by a highly charged crowd. On the FIA’s request for a further seven days remand the court required the FIA to apprise that if nothing incriminating against Moonis Elahi had been found in the previous six days remand then what more did the FIA expect to achieve in further seven days. The FIA officials informed the court that the investigation was still in progress.
Moonis Elahi on this occasion again categorically denied his role in the alleged transaction and said that since he had no knowledge of it therefore the question of returning any money did not raise. Moonis Elahi’s lawyers informed the court that there was no evidence against their client and the FIA was over-stretching a politically motivated case for cheap publicity. Meanwhile a highly emotional yet disciplined pro-Moonis crowd gathered outside the court room continued to raise slogans declaring Moonis Elahi as the future chief minister and slating Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
