Foreign funding case: Court rejects PTI’s plea to stay ECP proceedings

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday once again turned down an application of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking a stay against the proceedings of foreign funding case pending with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Earlier, on July 14 a bench of the same court had turned down the party’s request for a stay following a May 8 order in which the commission said it had the jurisdiction to question the sources of party funds and Akbar S Babar had locus standi, as he was still a party member.

On Tuesday, an IHC bench issued notices to the secretary ECP and the complainant Akbar S Babar and put off the hearing till Monday, August 28. Basically, the PTI has assailed the May 8 order before the IHC and in recent petition it sought the IHC cover to restrain the ECP from proceeding further in the matter until a decision by the Supreme Court or the IHC, whichever is earlier.

IHC judge Justice Aamer Farooq asked the PTI counsel Anwar Mansoor to put this matter before the Supreme Court, as it was already pending there. At this, Anwar Mansoor explained that the SC bench was not available on account of summer vacations. The bench then put off the hearing.

The PTI through its Chairman Imran Khan has filed a petition seeking to declare that the ECP has no jurisdiction to hear and decide complaints filed by private citizens questioning the sources of party funds.