Moonis Elahi challenges Zafar Qureshi’s reposting

ISLAMABAD - Moonis Elahi has challenged the Supreme Court’s decision for reassigning NICL case investigation to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer Zafar Qureshi.

Moonis Elahi, who is a PML-Q leader and son of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, is the main accused in the National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) scam.

On Thursday, he filed the review petition through Babar Awan against the apex court’s decision to repost FIA Additional Director General Zafar Qureshi in the multi-billion rupee scam. The sources told The Nation that former law minister and PPP leader Babar Awan, in his capacity as a counsel of Moonis, would file two more petitions in the Supreme Court in order to prevent Zafar Qureshi from investigating NICL scam.

In his Thursday’s plea he prayed the court to remove Qureshi as head of the investigation team, claiming that Qureshi may not investigate the case impartially because on February 17, 2011 he had filed a written statement at the Supreme Court stating Moonis Elahi was threatening him. Therefore, it was unlikely that Qureshi would conduct an unbiased investigation, he added.

Babar contended that the court had reposted Zafar Qureshi to investigate NICL case without hearing his point of view which was against the interest of the justice and Article 10A of the constitution. He pleaded the court to admit his review petition for hearing his stance. He said his client has expressed confidence in all the members of the investigation team except Qureshi. The counsel also requested that the court should stop the investigation of the case till the decision on review petition.

The court on August 8 had quashed the federal government’s order regarding the suspension of FIA ADG Zafar Qureshi and directed him to resume NICL probe forthwith and complete the inquiry expeditiously.

The hearing of Moonis Elahi’s acquittal petition in the NICL case has been adjourned to 6 September

Lahore (August 18, 2011) The hearing of Moonis Elahi’s acquittal petition in the NICL case has been adjourned to 6 September on the request of Additional Director General FIA Zaffar Qureshi.  Today as soon as the NICL case hearing began in the court of District Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem, FIA’s Zaffar Qureshi moved a written request asking for a one month adjournment.  The learned judge after a short suspension of proceedings accepted Zaffar Qureshi’s request.  On this unexpected decision, Moonis Elahi’s lawyers argued that the adjournment of the acquittal petition was a clear violation of the written order dated 18 May 2011 of a three member Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry according to which the courts were fully independent in trying Moonis Elahi and they were not to be influenced by the trial of the NICL case in the Supreme Court.  The said order was issued on the request that Moonis Elahi was not getting his due legal relief because the NICL case was also being heard in the Supreme Court, further argued Moonis Elahi’s lawyers.

Rai Bashir Ahmed advocate arguing in the court said that in his 40 years of legal experience never before had an investigation officer ordered the court to grant him one month period for investigation.  The investigation officer of the said case is Chaudhry Ashgar who is still to appear in the court, pleaded Moonis Elahi’s lawyer. He further pleaded that Zaffar Qureshi had deliberately misinformed the court about being unable to complete the investigation due to his transfer on April 18, 2011. He argued that Zaffar Qureshi on March 21, 2011 had informed the honourable court of having completed investigations in two cases and of submitting final case challans. He said that the court should take action against Zaffar Qureshi for furnishing false information to the court. Moonis Elahi’s defence lawyer accused the FIA of turning the case into a personal feud after failing to bring up anything against his client. Later talking to the media, Moonis Elahi’s team of defence lawyers said that they would contest today’s decision right up to the Supreme Court. They particularly pointed out at the honourable judge’s unwarranted suspension of today’s court proceedings twice for 10 and 45 minutes respectively and for staying in the retiring room without specifying any reason.

Earlier, Moonis Elahi was brought amid tight security to the court. A large number of PML workers had come to show their solidarity with the incarcerated leader including Abdullah Yousaf Warraich, Aamna Ulfat, Samina Khawar Hayyat, Seemal Kamran, Umer Farooq Dar.

An open letter of Mr. Moonis Elahi, Addressed to All Pakistanis Including the Ideological Workers of Pakistan Muslim League

An open letter of Mr. Moonis Elahi, Senior Central Leader Pakistan Muslim League

Addressed to All Pakistanis Including the Ideological Workers of Pakistan Muslim League (the Party Which Founded Pakistan)

Mian Nawaz Sharif’s statement on the eve of Pakistan’s 65^th Independence Day, pronouncing the Indian gods and culture similar as that of Pakistan is not only a sinister move to undermine the Two Nation theory but also a deliberate attempt at nullifying the sacrifices of countless Muslims for the creation of Pakistan.  It is apparent from his views that the Indian contract for weakening Pakistan’s ideological foundations has been awarded to “Sharif Brothers & Co” who have their head offices located at Jaati Umra of Amritsar, India and their sub-office at Jaati Umra, Raiwind.  

It is a great historical fact and an undeniable reality that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam.  The Muslims of the Sub-continent struggled for independence under the leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to live in a society that believed in one God unlike the Hindus who worshipped several gods and goddesses. “The Muslims are a separate nation from the Hindus. Our religion, history, culture, architecture, ways of living and eating habits are diametrically opposed to them”, said the Quaid.

But today, a Pakistani politician who claims to head a faction of Muslim League (the very party which founded Pakistan) has the audacity to challenge the very ethos of Pakistan. What a shame, and that too at a time when the nation is going through the toughest period in its history.

Ironically, in the same speech delivered before his Indian guests, the self-styled “amir ul momineen” while enumerating the similarities between Muslims of Pakistan and the predominantly Hindu India identified the dish of “potatoes and meat” (aalu gosht) as one great similarity. One does not have words to condemn this most fickle exercise at finding commonalities between the two most diverse faiths and nations. If “aalu gosht” is what MNS considers as a binding force between India and Pakistan then he should have kept in mind that the meat Indians relish the most is that of the innocent Kashmiri Mussalmans.

The founding fathers of Pakistan must be turning in their graves at this most preposterous and horrific statement made by a Pakistani politician.

We, Pakistanis have suffered tremendous political and financial blows at the hands of Sharif Brothers and Co and they have been getting away with them, but this time round it will be unpatriotic to let them go Scot free. It is now time to put Nawaz Sharif in the dock and the charge should be of staging treason against the Ideology of Pakistan and hatching a conspiracy against the people of Pakistan. I will end my statement with words of a senior Pakistani journalist known for his patriotic views who said “if Nawaz Sharif has such soft corner for Hindus then he should shift his Jaati Umra residence to Amritsar”. 

An open letter of Mr. Moonis Elahi, Addressed to All Pakistanis including the Ideological Workers of Pakistan Muslim League

Moonis Elahi case adjourned until August 18

LAHORE : August 16

HEARING of the National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam against Moonis Elahi and others has been adjourned until August 18 as the judge concerned, Mujahid Mustaqeem, is on leave. On Tuesday, counsel for the Federal Investigating Agency (FIA) had to record arguments before District and Sessions Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem on an application filed by Moonis Elahi, seeking his acquittal in the case under 265-K of CrPC.

NICL scam: Moonis Elahi's case adjourned till 16th August

LAHORE: District and Sessions Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem adjourned till August 16, the hearing NICL land scam case of Chaudhary Moonis Elahi as his counsel completed arguments on acquittal application of FIR no 46/10 on Saturday.Appearing before the court Advocate Amjad Pervaiz the counsel of Chaudhary Moonis Elahi accused of National Insurance Company Limited land scam argued and tried to prove that Moonis Elahi the son of former Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhary Parvaiz Elahi had nothing to do with the land scam of NICL.He argued that all the witnesses of the case who had recorded their statements against Ch. Moonis had denied any sort of involvement of Moonis Elahi in above said scam. He argued that the letter written by Deputy Director FIA to the director FIA about any role of Chaudhary Moonis Elahi in the scam revealed that Moonis was not involve in it. Pervaiz Said repeated all the arguments put in front of special magistrate of banking court Malik Abudur Rasheed.

He said that the statements recorded under section 161 of Penal code could not prove allegations leveled against Moonis as they all refused to say anything which could identify implication of Moonis in land scam of NICL.‘Total amount was paid back to NICL’ he said, adding that ‘admittedly there is no allegations neither I nor my family gave him instruction to transfer said money and admittedly at the time of occurrence of NICL scam neither I nor my family held the portfolio in the management of NICL’. 

He further said that the statements of PW4 in case and IO of the scam had so much significance which showed that the case against Moonis was case of no evidence.A number of people including lawyers, media men and supporters of PML-Q leader Chaudhary Moonis Elahi were present in the court. Proceeding started at 12:20 pm and continued for almost two hours. Amjad Pervaiz, the counsel of Chaudhary Moonis Elahi fought well and put every thing related and to the point about the case to prove that his client was not involved in it but FIA got him involved on malafied intentions.

He completed his arguments on the case based on FIR number 46/10.The Judge adjourned the hearing till August 16 and FIA officials would appear and argue on the case.

Hearing of Moonis Elahi's case adjourned till August 13.

Lahore (11 August 2011) District and Sessions Judge Lahore, Mujahid Mustaqeem has adjourned the hearing of Senior Pakistan Muslim League Leader Moonis Elahi’s acquittal petition in the NICL case to August 13. Earlier Moonis Elahi was brought to the court today in an armored vehicle and amid tight security. When Moonis Elahi stepped out of the vehicle he was greeted by a large gathering of PML workers who were chanting slogans highlighted their young leader’s innocence and courage. Moonis Elahi waved back to the crowd with a victory sign.

At the start of the proceedings Moonis Elahi’s lawyers Rai Bashir Ahmad, Amjad Parvez and Misbah-ur-Rehman Advocates presented the case details to the honourable court. On Moonis Elahi’s acquittal petition filed u/s 249-A, his defence lawyer said that the conspiracy hatched by the FIA to implicate Moonis Elahi in the NICL case had failed miserably.

They said that Moonis Elahi’s name was not in the FIR the prosecution witnesses by testifying to his innocence had also busted the FIA plot. They said that the investigation officer, deputy director FIA Basharat Shahazad had also stated the court that Moonis Elahi had no link with the NICL case. On these grounds the defence lawyers of Moonis Elahi asked the honourable court to accept the acquittal petition of their client. Commenting on the request the honourable court said that the matter would be considered in the next hearing. Later talking to the media Moonis Elahi’s lawyer Rai Bashir Ahmad informed that the acquittal petition could not be discussed today as the Honourable Judge had to attend another important meeting. We want the court to convene a daily hearing of the case and decide according to prescribed law, said Moonis Elahi’s defence lawyer.

An Open Letter by Moonis Elahi

An Open Letter by Moonis Elahi

Addressed to the President, Prime Minister, Parliamentarians, National Newspapers and Tv Channels in Response to Rehman Malik’s Tableeghi Jamaat Comments

Lahore (30 July 2011) Moonis Elahi the incarcerated central leader of Pakistan Muslim League has sent a strong worded message to the president, prime minister, parliamentarians, editors and bosses of national dailies and television channels in condemnation of the recently made insinuating remarks of Federal Interior Minister, Mr. Rehman Malik about Tableeghi Jamaat -a trans-national Islamic spiritual reformation movement. The following is the full text of his letter:

Dear Sir/s

I did not feel as much perturbed on being framed in a false case as I felt after hearing the Federal Interior Minister, Mr. Rehman Malik’s poisonous comments on the role of Tableeghi Jamaat, made recently in London. Although, this is not the first time that Mr. Malik has come in the lime light for his ‘loose talk’ but this time his comments have not only caused great pain to the Muslims of Pakistan but have also proven to be a source of bitter anguish for the global Muslim community at large. As a Muslim, I feel that it is my religious right and obligation to respond to Mr. Malik’s sullied and irresponsible comments before somebody out of his mind starts taking such nonsensical comments seriously.

As we all know that Tableeghi Jamaat is a trans-national religious movement which primarily aims at Islamic spiritual reformation by working at the grass roots, reaching out to Muslims across all social and economic spectra. This movement has promoted peace and harmony across the world and has always condemned evils like terrorism and sectarianism in unequivocal terms. It is a fact known to everyone that despite holding the second largest congregation of Muslims in the world after Hajj one cannot find a single incident where any of the organizers or participants has ever been allowed to bring fire arms at the congregation venue. It is also an acknowledged fact that millions of Tableeghi Jamaat members have travelled the world far and wide and never has any foreign government or an important foreign dignitary ever held their activities questionable. Even after the 9/11 debacle in the aftermath of which names of many extremist individuals and outfits came to the fore at no occasion was Tableeghi Jamaat branded among them.

Contd. on Page 2

I have no hesitation in saying that Mr. Rehman Malik’s comments have not only hurt the sentiments of the Muslims of Pakistan but have also rendered an irreparable blow to the country’s reputation abroad. If by associating the despicable terms of ‘terrorism and brainwashing’ with a peaceful Islamic movement like Tableeghi Jamaat, Mr. Malik’s intent was to please any worldly power then he should know that casting such aspersions mean nothing to those who place Allah Above All.

I appeal the Honorable President and Prime Minister of the Islamic Democratic Republic of Pakistan to immediately take serious notice of the Federal Interior Minister’s irresponsible remarks. I also appeal the two Excellencies to contemplate promulgation of immediate steps to prevent repetition of such unfortunate incidents in future. And last but not least, I also appeal to the country’s high-ups to particularly ‘Control’ Mr. Rehman Malik from hurting the nation’s sentiments and from repeatedly embarrassing the country and in this particular case the Muslim Ummah by his reckless and irresponsible statements.

Humbly Yours,

Moonis Elahi