Paramilitary soldiers stand guard outside the Pakistan's election commission building in Islamabad. — AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Tuesday sought two weeks' time from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to respond to notices received in the prohibited funding case, a request that was accepted.
A four-member bench, headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, held a hearing on a notice served to PTI chairman Imran Khan in the case.
Owing to his schedule, PTI’s lawyer Shah Khawar did not appear at the hearing. However, the party’s assistant lawyer Naveed Anjum represented the party in the hearing.
He said that there are several documents in the case which he has to gather which requires time. The lawyer then sought two weeks from the commission to submit a detailed response to the notice.
In response to the request, the CEC asked PTI’s lawyer why he has to collect the documents when he already possesses them, as he had been part of the entire process.
Anjum responded by saying that the party is collecting documents from foreign chapters.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till September 6, after PTI’s request for extra time was approved by the commission.
ISLAMABAD: A larger bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC) will hear the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plea today against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict in the prohibited funding case, ARY News reported on Thursday.
According to details, the larger bench – which will be headed by IHC Acting Chief Justice Aamir Farooq – includes Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar.
The larger bench will hear the PTI’s petition against the ECP verdict at 2 pm.
In the last hearing, the Islamabad High Court had decided to form a larger bench to hear the PTI’s plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) judgement in the prohibited funding case.
PTI’s lawyer Anwar Mansoor argued that the accounts’ information, which were provided, was not included in the electoral watchdog’s verdict. “We had told ECP that some accounts’ information was not necessary due to some reasons,” he added.
“A larger bench will take up the matter,” Justice Farooq remarked. Subsequently, the court fixed the matter before a larger bench and adjourned the hearing for August 18.
The ECP bench in its reserved verdict said prohibited funding against PTI had been proven.
ECP, in its unanimous verdict, ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign nationals.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi announced the reserved verdict.
Hamza Shahbaz says nation will hold declared Sadiq and Ameen [Imran Khan] accountable for calling others, thieves and robbers.
Former CM states elections will be held as per schedule in 2023.
Hamza comments on Punjab CM elections, says will seek justice from court.
LONDON: Former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shahbaz Saturday said all coalition government parties have unanimously decided to take PTI’s prohibited funding case to its "logical conclusion".
Speaking to journalists after meeting party supremo Nawaz Sharif, Hamza said: “The nation will hold declared Sadiq and Ameen [Imran Khan] accountable for calling others, thieves and robbers.”
“If Nawaz was disqualified for not taking salary from his son then Khan is immersed in prohibited funding from head to toe,” he added.
Regarding PTI’s demand for snap polls, Hamza stated that elections will be held as per schedule in 2023, adding that he is hopeful that his uncle will lead the election campaign of his party.
The PML-N leader, while commenting on Punjab CM’s election, said that they will not leave this matter like this and will seek justice from the court.
“When a full court will be formed in this matter then the case will be crystal clear,” he added.
Hamza had to quit the office of CM after the Supreme Court gave its verdict on the PTI petition against the deputy speaker's ruling. Pervez Elahi of the PML-Q replaced him as Punjab CM due to the verdict.
Hamza arrived in London on a private visit on Friday and is expected to stay in the British capital for a few days. During his stay in London, the former chief minister met party supremo, Nawaz Sharif, who is there since 2019 and other family members.
Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb addresses a press conference in Islamabad following a meeting of the government's cabinet meeting on Thursday, August 4, 2022. — PID
Marriyum Aurangzeb says inquiry has been started against "all those involved in this crime."
She highlights govt had nothing to do with foreign funding case, and it was Akbar S Babar who filed petition.
Information minister announces govt has decided to file a declaration against PTI in SC.
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb Thursday said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will carry out a complete investigation into PTI's foreign funding case.
Speaking during a press conference following the government's cabinet meeting in the federal cabinet, Aurangzeb said that starting today, an inquiry has been started against "all those involved in this crime."
"The government will take an action in the light of the Election Commission of Pakistan's verdict and there will be an investigation as to where the funds were used," she said, adding that "all of them would have been in jail if the verdict had come during Imran Khan's tenure."
The information minister highlighted that the government had nothing to do with the foreign funding case, and it was Akbar S Babar — the founding member of the PTI — who filed a petition.
“The PTI has been declared a foreign-aided party by the ECP in its decision which was issued after eight years under the Political Parties Order 2002 and the Election Act 2017,” she said.
"It has been eight years and the PTI still hasn't provided any answers. The State Bank of Pakistan showed records in the ECP which showed that the PTI had postponed the hearing 75 times during these years," she said, adding that the Khan-led has been declared a "foreign-funded party".
The information minister announced that the government has decided to file a declaration against PTI — in a bid to get the party dissolved — in the Supreme Court.
"The PTI failed to declare 16 accounts. The accounts were opened in the names of the party leaders where they used to receive money," she added.
Shedding light on the relief measures being carried out for the flood victims in Balochistan, Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the flood-affected areas.
"PM Shehbaz directed to give Rs1 million as compensation to the families that lost their loved ones and Rs500,00 to those whose houses were destroyed," said the PML-N leader.
The minister added that the premier issued instructions to the administration for the immediate rehabilitation of the victims.
State Minister for Petroleum Mussadiq Malik (L), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (C) and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah. — PID/AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: The coalition government Thursday reiterated its demand, urging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue the verdict on PTI's "foreign funding" case — which has been pending since 2014.
PTI's founding member Akbar S Babar had filed the case in 2014, alleging that the party received foreign funding and the ECP, on June 21, reserved the verdict in the case.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the foreign funding case is an example of "how ladla (blue-eyed boy) was being protected".
The premier wrote: “[Nawaz Sharif] was convicted for not taking a salary, 'Ladla' is untouchable. Eight years on, the decision is still elusive.”
He further mentioned that in order to stop the foreign funding case, Khan filed nine writ petitions in the Islamabad High Court and got 50 adjournments.
Meanwhile, while addressing a press conference in the federal capital flanked by State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Adviser to Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira also questioned the delay in the announcement of the verdict.
“We don’t want to head towards a clash between institutions; however, people are waiting for the verdict which has been reserved,” he said, emphasising that the decision should be announced as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Malik said: “We are used to accepting decisions but, at least, bring the decision to the fore so that we can know what was the outcome of the case.
'Delay incomprehensible'
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also took to his Twitter to urge ECP to “immediately” announce the verdict of the foreign funding case.
“PTI Lawyers resorted to delaying tactics for eight years by filing nine writ petitions during the proceedings but now the decision is already reserved,” he wrote, adding that a further delay is “incomprehensible”.
PTI hid funds worth millions of rupees from ECP: report
The PTI hid funds worth millions of rupees from the ECP, the report of an ECP scrutiny committee probing the party's funds revealed on January 4.
The report stated that the PTI provided "false information" regarding the party's funding to the ECP. It said that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP's) bank statement revealed that the party had received Rs1.64 billion in funding.
According to the report, the party did not disclose funding worth more than Rs310 million to the ECP.
The scrutiny committee was formed in 2019 to audit foreign funding received by the PTI.
