ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to submit details of party funding with Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) within two weeks.
The IHC bench directed the commission to decide the party funding case against PTI in accordance with the law and restrained it from providing such details to anyone, including Akbar S Babar, the petitioner in the party funding case pending before the ECP. The hearing was put off till Oct 10.
Earlier, the ECP directed the PTI to submit the record of its funding until September 11. It was hearing a petition filed by former PTI worker Akbar S Babar with regard to party’s foreign funding case.
During the proceedings, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Sardar Raza Khan said he failed to understand why the PTI was dragging its feet on the issue of submitting the funding details. “Why is PTI reluctant to implement ECP’s orders?” the CEC questioned.
The PTI counsel reiterated that the matter was under observation in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. To which, the CEC ruled that the ECP would stop proceedings in the case if apex court issues a stay order.
Adjourning the hearing till September 11, the CEC asserted that the ECP is giving last chance to the party for submission of the records. It merits to mention here that a petition was filed by PTI former leader Akbar S Babar earlier this year, alleging that PTI Chief Imran Khan had committed contempt of court in his comments about the party funds and that he had not apologised to the ECP over his comments.
Published in Daily Times, September 8th 2017.
