PTI challenges ECP prohibited funding verdict in IHC

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Wednesday filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) ruling in the prohibited funding case against the party.

In the petition, filed by PTI Additional Secretary-General Omar Ayub, the party pleaded with the IHC to nullify the ECP’s August 2 ruling and revoke the show cause notice served on Imran Khan by the election body.

The petitioner said it was "grossly aggrieved" by the fact-finding report — which revealed that the PTI had received funding from prohibited sources — and demanded that it be declared "perverse, incorrect and in excess of authority and jurisdiction".

The PTI also made the ECP a party in the case.

In a unanimous ruling, the election commission's three-member bench earlier this month said it found that the PTI received prohibited funding.

The case was earlier referred to as the "foreign funding" case, but later the election commission accepted the PTI's plea to refer to it as the "prohibited funding" case.

As per the 68-page order, the commission stated that the Imran Khan-led PTI did indeed receive funding from foreign companies and individuals, which it hid.

The ECP verdict stated that the PTI received funds from 34 individuals and 351 businesses, including companies.

Thirteen unknown accounts have also come to light, said the commission in the verdict, adding that hiding accounts are a "violation" of Article 17 of the Constitution.

Moreover, the ECP found that the PTI chairman submitted a false Nomination Form I and that the affidavit provided regarding party accounts was false.

For now, the ECP has issued a show-cause notice to the party to explain why the prohibited funds should not be confiscated.