Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday rejected the request of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) seeking to stop the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s actions after the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in prohibited funding case.

However, the court continued listening arguments of the respondents in the main petition.

A larger bench of IHC headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Baber Sattar heard the case filed by PTI challenging the ECP’s decision and seeking to stop FIA’s action.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that what would be the act of ECP if it received evidences of foreign aid to the party. What the petitioner wanted in the case, he asked, and said that the federal government was yet to send the reference to the apex court.

The chief justice remarked that the court wanted to conclude the case early but the petitioner could not start its case yet. The court instructed the petitioner to conclude its arguments early and after it time would be given to the other side.

Barrister Anwar Mansoor, the PTI’s lawyer, submitted the written arguments before the court and contended that the ECP had no authority to send the matter to the federal government, adding that the ECP had sent the matter to federal government regarding dissolving the party. He said that opening of cases on the basis of ECP decision was also illegal act.

Anwar Mansoor said that there was a difference in prohibited funding and foreign aid. He prayed the court to conduct hearing of the case on daily basis.

The FIA had registered dozens of FIRs on the basis of ECP verdict, he said.

The bench rejected the PTI’s request to stop the FIA’s action into the matter and remarked that it was a separate issue. The further hearing of the case was then adjourned till January 10.

It may be mentioned here that the ECP had served a show-cause notice to PTI after prohibited funding was proved against it. The PTI had challenged the decision before IHC.