PTI prohibited funding case: IHC issues pre-admission notice to ECP for Aug 24

ISLAMABAD: A three-member larger bench of the Islamabad High Court on Thursday issued a pre-admission notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan for August 24 in a petition filed by PTI seeking annulment of the election body’s August 2 ruling in the prohibited funding case and revoking the show-cause notice sent to party’s Chairperson Imran Khan.

A three-member bench of IHC headed by acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar took up the PTI prohibited funding case today.

On August 16, IHC acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq ordered to fix the prohibited funding case against PTI before a larger bench.

The PTI had challenged ECP’s ruling in IHC on August 10, seeking annulment of order in the prohibited funding case.

In his petition filed with the IHC, PTI Additional Secretary-General Omar Ayub asked the court to not only nullify the August 2 ruling, but also revoke ECP's show-cause notice sent to PTI Chairperson Imran Khan.

During the course of the proceedings, the IHC bench observed that the case would be decided after hearing the ECP’s side. More arguments would be given in the court on the admissibility of the PTI’s petition.

Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing till August 24.

ECP's fact-finding report

In a unanimous ruling on August 2, a three-member bench of the election commission said it has 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 states 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 is a "violation" of Article 17 of the Constitution.

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