Moonis Elahi

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Moonis Elahi
مونس الٰہی
Elahi in November 2013
Federal Minister for Water Resources
In office
13 July 2021 – 10 April 2022
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byFaisal Vawda
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
29 October 2018 – 10 August 2023
ConstituencyNA-69 (Gujrat-II)
Member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab
In office
1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018
ConstituencyPP-110 (Gujrat-III)
In office
9 April 2008 – 20 March 2013
ConstituencyPP-110 (Gujrat-III)
Personal details
Born (1976-04-12) 12 April 1976 (age 48)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Political party PTI (2023-present)
Other political
affiliations		 PML-Q (2008-2023)
ParentChaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (father)
RelativesChaudhry Family
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
Websitehttp://mooniselahi.org

Chaudhry Moonis Elahi (Urdu: چوہدری مونس الٰہی; born 12 April 1976) is a Pakistani politician hailing from Punjabi Jatt Warraich family, who has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from October 2018 to August 2023. He has been the Minister for Water Resources from 13 July 2021 till 10 April 2022 when the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan succeeded. Previously, he was a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from 2008 to May 2018.

Early life and education[edit]

Elahi was born on 12 April 1976[1][2] in Lahore, Pakistan to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.[3] He received a BBA degree in 1999[3] from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.[4] After completing his education, he returned to Pakistan and joined his family business.[4]

Political career[edit]

Elahi ran for the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML (Q)) from two constituencies (Lahore and Gujrat) in the 2008 Pakistani general election. He won the Gujrat constituency from the candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party named Ch Nasir Samma who got 37137 votes and he was unsuccessful in the Lahore constituency[4] where he lost the seat to a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).[5] He served as a member of the following Standing Committees in Punjab Assembly for the term 2008-2013:

Elahi ran for the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of the PML (Q) from two constituencies (Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat) in the 2013 Pakistani general election and was successful in both. He vacated the Mandi Bahauddin seat to retain his native seat in Gujrat.[6][3][7][8]

He has been a fierce advocate for the Kalbagh Dam Project.[9][10][11]

In September 2018, he was allocated PML-Q ticket to contest a by-election from Constituency NA-69 (Gujrat-II).[12][13]

He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PML-Q from Constituency NA-69 (Gujrat-II) in by-election held on 14 October 2018.[14][15]

After the 2018 Pakistani general election, Pakistan Muslim League (Q) under an agreement had joined the PTI led coalition government.[16][17][18][19] In 2019, differences surfaced between the two coalition partners when the PML(Q) complained of delay in implementation of the terms in the agreement.[20][21][22][23][24] Elahi met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in a bid to solve the differences. In this meeting the PM asked Elahi for continued PML(Q) support to the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.[25] Later during a TV talk show Elahi denied rumors of any PTI-Q coalition split.[26][27] However, the deadlock between the coalition partners persisted.[28][29]

On 10 February 2020, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League (Q) leaders met to resolve the issues. Later Moonis Elahi tweeted that the PML(Q)and PTI alliance will continue. As a result, on 13 July 2021, Imran Khan made Moonis the Federal Minister for Water Resources.[30][31]

On 19 July 2021, he was sworn in as Federal Minister for Water Resources.[32][33] President Arif Alvi administered the oath.

On 21 February 2023, he left PML(Q) and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) along with his father Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and ten former PML(Q) members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab over political rifts with the president of PML(Q), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

He is running for a seat in the Provincial Assembly from PP-32 Gujrat-V as a candidate of the PTI in the 2023 Punjab provincial election.[34]

NICL corruption scandal[edit]

In 2010, Elahi was accused of corruption of Rs 320 million in the NICL scandal[35][36] during his father's tenure as the Chief Minister of Punjab.[4][37] Elahi denied the charges levelled against him.[38] He was declared a proclaimed offender[39] for failure to appear before the investigation committee and as a result, he was arrested and jailed.[4][40] He was later acquitted in 2011 due to inconclusive evidence and in 2012 all charges in the regard were dropped.[41][42][43] A report stated that Elahi had declared the value of his assets at not more than Rs 0.5 million in 2007. However, in 2009, he had assets worth over Rs 700 million.[44]

In 2016, he was named in the Panama Papers for having offshore bank accounts outside Pakistan.[45] However his father claimed that Elahi had nothing to do with offshore accounts.[46] In 2017, National Accountability Bureau begin fresh investigation into Elahi's wealth.[47]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "If elections are held on time…". The News International. Pakistan. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Profile". The News International. Pakistan. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Profile". Punjab Assembly. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Chaudhry Moonis Elahi". Dawn. Pakistan. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Moonis won't run for Lahore seat". Dawn. Pakistan. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  6. ^ Butt, Waseem Ashraf (16 November 2015). "Mandi Bahauddin election scene: Ruling party MNAs at loggerheads". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  7. ^ Malik, Mansoor (2 June 2013). "• 245 newcomers • Two couples among MPAs: A raft of pledges in PA precinct". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  8. ^ Correspondent, The Newspaper's (13 May 2013). "Shujaat says results beyond expectations". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Kalabagh Dam will guarantee cheap electricity, says Elahi". The News International. Pakistan. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  10. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (25 June 2015). "People want early construction of Kalabaghdam". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Wasting water: Kalabagh dam only route to prosperity, says Moonis Elahi – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Nomination of Shujaat, Moonis accepted". The News. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  13. ^ Correspondent, The Newspaper's (4 September 2018). "Shujaat, Moonis papers accepted". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  14. ^ "By-Election 2018: PTI, PML-N win four NA seats each". Geo News. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  15. ^ Chaudhry, Fahad (18 October 2018). "ECP notifies victory of 22 candidates, withholds notices of 13 others for not disclosing campaign costs". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  16. ^ "PTI, allies can form govt without support of other parties". The News. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  17. ^ "PTI may form majority in Punjab as PML-Q extends support". Samaa TV. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  18. ^ "PML-Q decides to back PTI in Punjab". Global Village Space. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  19. ^ "PTI reaches magic number to elect PM, take the centre". Samaa TV. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  20. ^ "فواد چوہدری کے بیان پر پی ٹی آئی سے اتحاد ختم ہو سکتا ہے، مونس الٰہی". Neo News Network. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  21. ^ "PMLQ Chief Ch Shujaat's Response on Fawad Ch's Apology". Siasat PK. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Fawad Chaudhry apologizes over PMLQ forward bloc remarks". GNN. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  23. ^ "Shujaat accepts Fawad's apology over his remarks of forward bloc in PML-Q". ARY News. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  24. ^ "Shujaat accepts Fawad's apology on remarks". The News. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  25. ^ "SPM asks Moonis to continue support to CM". The Nation. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  26. ^ "Moonis Elahi on PMLQ-PTI alliance" (in Urdu). 7 January 2020. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  27. ^ "PML-Q-PTI alliance not under threat". Dawn News. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  28. ^ "PML-Q to boycott new committee". The News. 2 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  29. ^ "PML-Q refuses to hold talks with new PTI team". Dawn News. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  30. ^ "PML And PTI Are Now on the Same Page: Moonis Elahi". Urdu Point. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  31. ^ "PML-Q and PTI dialogue". Daily Times. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  32. ^ "Chaudhry Moonis Elahi takes oath as Federal Minister". 19 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  33. ^ "Chaudhry Moonis Elahi sworn-in as federal minister". 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  34. ^ "List of PTI Candidates for Provincial Elections in Punjab | 2023". Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  35. ^ "NICL scandal: FIA draws Moonis Elahi deeper into land scam - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  36. ^ "Magistrate hands over Moonis to FIA - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  37. ^ Newspaper, From the (26 January 2011). "NICL scandal". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  38. ^ "Moonis Elahi returns, vows to respond to accusers". The News. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  39. ^ "Moonis Elahi declared proclaimed offender in NICL scam". The Nation. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  40. ^ Newspaper, From the (18 March 2011). "Moonis surrenders to FIA after bail plea rejection". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  41. ^ "Moonis acquitted in NICL case". DAWN.COM. 21 October 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  42. ^ Newspaper, From the (21 October 2011). "Moonis Elahi acquitted, freed". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  43. ^ "'Lack of evidence': Banking court acquits Moonis Elahi in NICL scam - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  44. ^ "SC hears NICL case today". The Nation. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  45. ^ "259 Pakistani offshore company owners exposed - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  46. ^ "Moonis has nothing to do with offshore accounts". The Nation. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  47. ^ "NAB starts fresh inquiry against Chaudhrys". The Nation. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
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