On November 16, 2025, Interpol delivered a decisive blow to Pakistan’s efforts to extradite Moonis Elahi, a prominent political figure and close aide of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In an official statement, the international police organization declared, “The General Secretariat of International Criminal Police Organisation – Interpol – hereby certifies that as of today Mr Moonis Elahi is not subject to an Interpol notice or diffusion.” This announcement, reported by multiple outlets including PTI, The Hindu, and Dawn, effectively closed the chapter on Pakistan’s bid to bring Elahi back from Spain, where he has lived since fleeing a sweeping crackdown on Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party nearly three years ago.
The Pakistani government’s request to Interpol had been rooted in a series of serious allegations against Moonis Elahi, including murder, money laundering, corruption, and misuse of authority. The charges, filed under the administration of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), were presented in multiple FIRs (First Information Reports)—but Interpol’s investigation found these cases wanting. According to an unnamed official who spoke to PTI, “The Interpol rejected Pakistan’s case against Moonis as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) failed to furnish evidence related to murder, money laundering and other cases against him.”
It wasn’t just a lack of evidence that swayed Interpol. The organization also characterized most of the cases against Elahi as “political in nature,” a crucial distinction in international law enforcement. As Interpol’s mandate excludes involvement in cases primarily motivated by politics, this perspective was pivotal. The implication? Pakistan’s attempt to use international policing mechanisms to pursue a political opponent had fallen flat.
Moonis Elahi’s legal team was quick to claim vindication. “Interpol cleared Moonis of all baseless charges framed by the PML-N government after a thorough fact-finding probe,” stated his counsel, Amir Rawn. He further argued that the Elahi family had been “victimized for staying loyal to Khan,” echoing a sentiment widely shared among PTI supporters who view recent years as a period of state-sponsored persecution against their party’s leadership and allies.
The Elahi family’s political saga is deeply entwined with the fate of the PTI. Moonis is the son of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, who himself has weathered a storm of legal troubles. In a dramatic political maneuver in 2023, Parvez Elahi dissolved the Punjab Assembly at the behest of Imran Khan, in an effort to force early general elections. The move set off a cascade of events: Mohsin Naqvi, a figure closely associated with the PML-N and also serving as Pakistan Cricket Board chief, was appointed caretaker chief minister. Under Naqvi’s watch, Parvez Elahi was arrested in multiple cases and spent over a year in jail before being released on bail.
The crackdown extended beyond the political arena. As reported by The Hindu and Dawn, the government placed all members of the Moonis and Parvez Elahi family on the no-fly list, effectively restricting their movements and signaling a broader campaign to suppress their influence. This tactic, critics argue, is emblematic of the lengths to which the state has gone in recent years to marginalize PTI loyalists and their associates.
Moonis Elahi’s own journey into exile began around the same time as the crackdown on PTI. With the political climate in Pakistan growing increasingly hostile for Khan’s supporters, Elahi relocated to Spain, seeking refuge from what he and his allies described as a campaign of politically motivated prosecutions. The government’s efforts to bring him back—led energetically by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi—culminated in the failed Interpol request.
Notably, Moonis Elahi has not been silent from abroad. He has continued to criticize the Pakistani government, particularly Mohsin Naqvi, for what he describes as the deterioration of Pakistan’s cricket scene and the heavy-handed response to PTI supporters. He has also taken aim at Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, accusing her of denying basic prisoner rights to Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. These public statements have only deepened the animosity between Elahi and the current government, further politicizing the legal battles surrounding him.
The story of the Elahi family is, in many ways, a microcosm of the broader political turbulence that has gripped Pakistan since the ousting of Imran Khan. Once a dominant force in Punjab politics, the family has found itself at the center of a tug-of-war between rival parties and state institutions. Their loyalty to Khan has come at a steep price, with multiple family members facing legal jeopardy and travel restrictions, and their political fortunes closely tied to the fate of the PTI itself.
For the PML-N government, the failure to secure Moonis Elahi’s extradition is a setback. The attempt to leverage international law enforcement against a high-profile opponent has not only failed but also drawn international attention to the political dimensions of Pakistan’s legal system. For PTI supporters, however, the Interpol decision is a rare victory in a period marked by defeats and detentions. It offers a glimmer of hope that international institutions may serve as a check on what they perceive as the overreach of the Pakistani state.
The broader implications of this episode are still unfolding. With general elections looming and the PTI’s leadership under sustained pressure, the political landscape in Pakistan remains volatile. The Elahi family’s ordeal highlights the high stakes and personal risks involved in the country’s fractious political contests. As for Moonis Elahi, his future remains uncertain—safe for now in Spain, but still very much a player in Pakistan’s ongoing political drama.
One thing is clear: the intersection of law, politics, and international institutions is becoming ever more consequential in Pakistan’s evolving story. The Interpol decision may not resolve the underlying political conflicts, but it has certainly added a new layer to a saga that shows no signs of ending soon.
