By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is going to announce its verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s petition against the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding the prohibited funding case, today (Thursday).
In August 2022, the ECP had issued a show-cause notice to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf regarding the prohibited funding case. The Imran-led party had challenged the notice in the Islamabad High Court. In January, a larger bench of Islamabad High Court comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Miangul Hassan had reserved its verdict on the petition against the decision of the Commission announced on January 11.
During the hearing, the IHC had observed that the Commission’s responsibility was merely to do what the constitution permitted, the confiscation of funds. The ECP, during the hearing, claimed that the court had no power to change its decision.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf counsel had argued during that hearing that the Commission declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf a “foreign-aided” party and also rejected the declaration of PTI chief Imran Khan false. Furthermore, the court in the previous hearing, had also criticised the Commission for taking the issue to the Islamabad government, as doing so had led to lodging a number of cases against PTI by the Federal Investigation Agency.
Now, if the court accepts the petition and rules in favour of the PTI, the ECP notice will be returned and the cases against the PTI will be withdrawn.
PTI challenged ECP ruling on 10 August 2022
The PTI had, on 10 August 2022 challenged the ECP ruling in the Islamabad High Court, seeking annulment of the decision in the prohibited funding case. In his petition filed with the court, Omar Ayub, Additional Secretary-General of the PTI asked the court to not only nullify the August 2 ruling, but also revoke the ECP’s show-cause notice sent to PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
ECP verdict in prohibited funding case
On 2 August 2022, the Election Commission of Pakistan, in a unanimous decision, announced that the party received funding from prohibited sources. The case was earlier mentioned to as the “foreign funding” case but later ECP accepted the PTI’s plea and referred it as “prohibited funding” case. The ECP found that donations were taken from Canada, America, Australia and the UAE. The PTI received funds from 351 businesses including companies, and 34 individuals, the ECP verdict stated.
