ECP verdict echoes in NA

The National Assembly on Tuesday echoed with vehement attacks on the PTI after the ECP's much-awaited ruling in the prohibited funding case as PML-N leaders called for legal action to give the former ruling party a taste of its own medicine, while they sang the blues about the "injustice" meted out to them at the hands of judiciary over "immaterial things".

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif urged the executive to refer the matter pertaining to PTI's prohibited funding to the judiciary for further action.While relieved at the decision, the minister pointed out that it took eight years for the "justice to be served", claiming never in the political history of Pakistan has there been an example of such a long delay in such a controversial case.

In the same breath, he compared the "jarring" situation with what has PML-N has been going through, lamenting that the party's supreme leader Nawaz Sharif was handed disqualified for life for not just taking salary from his own son.

Today, a verdict has come against a person whom the court had declared 'sadiq' and 'ameen', he added. Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Asif the judiciary should assess the evidence mentioned in the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding foreign funding of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf.

He said the judiciary should decide the matter on merit to uphold the law and constitution as well as to end the culture of abusive language and unconstitutional acts. He said the ECP today fulfilled its responsibility by declaring that PTI had received prohibited foreign funding. He alleged Imran Khan was a foreign funded agent, "who harmed and maligned the state institutions".

"What an irony it is that institutions were fine if they support him and he starts hurling abuses on them if they will withdraw their support."Quoting ECP's decision, Khawaja Asif said it has now been proved that Imran Khan accepted funding from foreign countries, including the United States, Canada, India, Israel and the United Kingdom.

He said this case was a bright example of money laundering. He said it will be a great tragedy to country if Imran Khan goes unscathed. The minister said now it was responsibility of the parliament and other institutions to play their due role in upholding the constitution and social values of our society.

He said that PTI chief destroyed the economies and institutions in a well-thought-out plan.He said that Imran Khan abuses the institutions working according to the law and named as "Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq". He said that the name of the current election commissioner was proposed by PTI.

He said that the Election Commission's decision has shown Imran Khan's real face to the nation. If Imran Khan has the moral courage, he should file a case against the Financial Times.Similarly, PML-N's Mian Javed Latif said that how can a person who harmed the interests of Pakistan be the protector of the country.

How can he have audacity to take about 'real freedom', he questioned and added that today onwards this person (Imran Khan) is a "registered traitor" of Pakistan.