Lahore

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) with the help of the police in Punjab province has arrested former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi from near his Lahore residence, an official said.

Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir confirmed Elahi's arrest on Thursday, saying he was in his vehicle and "trying to flee" when he was arrested.

"Yes, he has been arrested from the Zahoor Elahi Road. He was arrested while trying to flee," the Minister told a private news channel.

"Several raids were carried out at his residence. He was wanted. Today, out of the blue, a couple of bullet-proof cars came out (of the house). He was in one of the cars."

Mir said that law enforcers tried to stop and check the bullet-proof cars at a check-post.

According to reports, the Minister said that the former chief minister resisted the arrest and was not opening door of his bullet-proof vehicle, therefore, the law enforcers had to break the side mirror of his vehicle.

 "After resistance, there was an attempt to break the car's window on the driver's side. Pervez Elahi was inside the car," he said.

The Minister emphasised that, during initial attempts to apprehend Elahi, there were significant instances of mismanagement, thus the arrest was made after proper planning today.

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"The series of arbitrary arrests began in January, and it was then that my father told me that even if they arrest me, we must stand by Imran Khan," the former chief minister's son, Moonis Elahi, tweeted shortly after the arrest.