Prohibited funding case: IHC issues notice to FIA on PTI plea for stopping probe

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a notice to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prohibited funding case.

PTI Senator Saifullah Niazi had filed a petition, seeking direction to the FIA to stop a separate investigation against his party into prohibited funding case. IHC Justice Amir Farooq heard the petition, and issued notice to the FIA, directing it to club the petition with other applications pertaining to the prohibited funding case.

During the hearing, Justice Farooq asked if that was the same case which was already fixed for hearing on October 19. The lawyer replied in affirmative. He told the court that the first banking circle held an inquiry into the case and now the FIA cybercrime wing was conducting a probe into it. He said that the cybercrime had started a new inquiry into the funding raised through a website namanzoor.com.

Saifullah Niazi was detained by the FIA on October 7 in a case pertaining to the prohibited funding. The PTI leader was summoned by the agency several times, but he never showed up for investigation. The FIA, on Friday, arrested him for interrogation and questioning.

The FIA also raided the residences of PTI leaders in Lahore and Islamabad to arrest the party members named in the funding case over their alleged non-cooperation. The agency also detained PTI leader Hamid Zaman, who looks after the affairs of the Insaf Trust.

On Saturday the former ruling party approached the IHC with a request to restrain the investigation agency from action against its leadership. In its petition, the PTI stated that after removal of its government, the party had set up a website named namnzoor.com to collect donations from overseas Pakistanis. It further stated that the primary donor could visit the website and provide their details to go to the payment page where they could use their bank account or PayPal to make the payment. It said that details of these donations were being shared with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in compliance with the Election Act 2017. The petition added that it was the prerogative of the ECP to look into matter of funds collection, but raids were illegal and the FIA should be restrained.