IHC refers prohibited funding case to banking court

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday referred the prohibited funding case against the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other leaders to the banking court.

The other PTI leaders include Tariq Shafi and Faisal Maqbool. During the hearing, the court remarked that the case will be heard in the banking court and directed that Tariq Shafi and Faisal Maqbool should join the investigation within five days.

“The accused should be investigated and referred to the banking court,” the court declared, says a news report. Earlier on Monday, a court approved the interim bail of Imran Khan in the case till October 31.

Special Judge Central Asif Mahmood directed Imran to submit surety bonds of Rs100,000. The court also issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Imran Khan’s plea. The FIA’s Corporate Banking Circle had lodged a case against 11 people, including the former prime minister, over prohibited funding.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted protective bail to Imran Khan till October 18 against surety bonds of Rs5,000. According to the FIR lodged against Imran, the accused nominated in the FIR had violated the Foreign Exchange Act. Sardar Azhar Tariq, Saifullah Niazi, Syed Younas, Amir Kiyani, Tariq Sheikh, and Tariq Shafi have been nominated in the FIR.

The FIR stated that the accused were beneficiaries of a private bank account, while the PTI had an account at the local bank and the private bank manager had also been nominated in the case.