A Lahore court conducting proceedings against Moonis Elahi for alleged money laundering on Saturday declared the former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader an absconder and initiated a process to cancel his official documents and freeze all of his assets.
A sessions court in Lahore on Saturday, which was hearing a money laundering case against the former federal minister, noted that currently, Moonis is facing trial in two cases of money laundering.
One case pertained to Moonis taking large sums of money in hundreds of millions abroad illegally.
A case has also been filed by the Lahore Anti-Corruption Circle against Moonis for alleged corruption.
Currently, a charge sheet has been filed against Moonis along with three other accused.
But upon being told that the prime accused had fled abroad, the court sought details of Moonis' travel history and bank accounts.
READ MORE: How Parvez Elahi Allegedly Laundered Money Through His Secret Second Wife
Subsequently, the court ordered to initiate proceedings to cancel Moonis' computerized national identity card (CNIC) and his passport, apart from freezing all of his bank accounts and properties. The correct address of his properties was also sought.
It is pertinent to note here that in the aftermath of the Panama Leaks, data about former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi and Moonis' offshore companies came to light.
Parvez and Moonis Elahi had allegedly stashed billions in five oversea companies. This money was illegally transferred out of Pakistan.
Subsequently, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti Money Laundering Cell filed a case against them with money laundering and corruption charges.
READ MORE: FIA Books Moonis Elahi, Parvez Elahi In Money Laundering Case Through Offshore Companies
The charges stated that Moonis was a member of the assembly, whether the national or provincial assemblies, from 2004 to 2023.
It was alleged that during this period, Moonis used his frontman, Jibran Khan to do corruption in connivance with his father.
Like Moonis, Parvez has also been part of the assemblies for the past 20 years and has also enjoyed key positions in the federal and provincial cabinets, including as Punjab chief minister.
The FIA has decided to pursue Moonis and is currently completing a process to obtain Red Notices so that Moonis can be arrested and brought back to Pakistan through Interpol.
READ MORE: Parvez Elahi On Anti-Corruption’s Radar For Illegally Recruiting 12 Employees In Punjab Assembly
Meanwhile, the Lahore chapter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a formal investigation into the alleged corruption of Parvez, former provincial minister Ali Afzal Sahi and Moonis. They are accused of causing the state loss of around Rs1.25 billion in awarding contracts for construction in Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin.
A sessions court in Lahore on Saturday, which was hearing a money laundering case against the former federal minister, noted that currently, Moonis is facing trial in two cases of money laundering.
One case pertained to Moonis taking large sums of money in hundreds of millions abroad illegally.
A case has also been filed by the Lahore Anti-Corruption Circle against Moonis for alleged corruption.
Currently, a charge sheet has been filed against Moonis along with three other accused.
But upon being told that the prime accused had fled abroad, the court sought details of Moonis' travel history and bank accounts.
READ MORE: How Parvez Elahi Allegedly Laundered Money Through His Secret Second Wife
Subsequently, the court ordered to initiate proceedings to cancel Moonis' computerized national identity card (CNIC) and his passport, apart from freezing all of his bank accounts and properties. The correct address of his properties was also sought.
It is pertinent to note here that in the aftermath of the Panama Leaks, data about former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi and Moonis' offshore companies came to light.
Parvez and Moonis Elahi had allegedly stashed billions in five oversea companies. This money was illegally transferred out of Pakistan.
Subsequently, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti Money Laundering Cell filed a case against them with money laundering and corruption charges.
READ MORE: FIA Books Moonis Elahi, Parvez Elahi In Money Laundering Case Through Offshore Companies
The charges stated that Moonis was a member of the assembly, whether the national or provincial assemblies, from 2004 to 2023.
It was alleged that during this period, Moonis used his frontman, Jibran Khan to do corruption in connivance with his father.
Like Moonis, Parvez has also been part of the assemblies for the past 20 years and has also enjoyed key positions in the federal and provincial cabinets, including as Punjab chief minister.
The FIA has decided to pursue Moonis and is currently completing a process to obtain Red Notices so that Moonis can be arrested and brought back to Pakistan through Interpol.
READ MORE: Parvez Elahi On Anti-Corruption’s Radar For Illegally Recruiting 12 Employees In Punjab Assembly
Meanwhile, the Lahore chapter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a formal investigation into the alleged corruption of Parvez, former provincial minister Ali Afzal Sahi and Moonis. They are accused of causing the state loss of around Rs1.25 billion in awarding contracts for construction in Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin.