The caretaker federal government has begun the process of repatriating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Moonis Elahi from Spain, where he has reportedly resided since December 2022 to escape "political persecution" in home country.

According to federal government sources, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has requested that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issue a red notice for the PTI leader's arrest in connection with a money laundering case.

In September of this year, a local court in Lahore issued a bailable arrest warrant for Moonis, a close associate of jailed PTI Chairman Imran Khan and son of party president Parvez Elahi, in connection with a money laundering case.

According to an order issued by Special Court (Central-I), Lahore judge Justice Abdul Sattar Langah, "In the interest of justice, the instant application moved by the police officer is accepted and the bailable warrant of arrest of Rs100,000 is issued against the accused Monis Elahi, under Section 90 (a) CrPC for the date fixed i.e. 11/10/2023."

The special court had issued the arrest warrant due to Moonis' failure to comply with court summons.

The sources stated that all of Moonis' case details have been shared with Interpol, which were provided to the FIA by the caretaker federal government.

Insiders revealed that the caretaker government and the FIA obtained all data pertaining to Moonis from the Punjab government.

The data shared with Interpol revealed that the PTI leader withdrew Rs480 million from his bank accounts, which was subsequently used for money laundering.

The sources stated that Moonis' properties and bank accounts have also been frozen.

The case

An investigation into Moonis under the Money Laundering Act was launched in 2020, according to a first information report (FIR).

The FIR stated that the Sugar Commission report implicated PTI leader in money laundering activities.

Former prime minister Imran Khan had tasked the FIA with investigating the sugar crisis throughout the country and identifying those who profited from it.

Subsequently, a report by the agency alleged that top PTI members, including Moonis, had benefited from the country's sugar crisis. The FIA sources stated that "sufficient evidence" had been gathered against the suspect, prompting the agency to launch a formal investigation into him.