FIR in prohibited funding case silent on Imran’s role

Court in written order says ‘no evidence’ found that remitted amount sent by Arif Naqvi was from black money

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a written order regarding the termination of FIA’s appeal against the bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the prohibited funding case, stating that the allegations made in it had nothing to do with the former premier or Tariq Shafi.

A division bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued a detailed decision rejecting the petition for the cancellation of Imran’s bail.

The court said no proof was provided that the funds sent by Arif Naqvi from abroad were from black money. The allegations levelled in the first information report (FIR) by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had no connection with Imran Khan or Tariq Shafi.

The order said Imran Khan had not signed any bank document. As per the FIR, either Arif Naqvi had given a false affidavit or the bank officials had not given a transaction report. Moreover, the State Bank of Pakistan had neither inquired into the matter nor it had declared any transaction as unlawful.

The court said one allegation was to convert the PTI’s account into the title of ‘Nia Pakistan’ but it was not an illegal act. The investigation officer of the case had also not recorded the statement of SBP officials.

The FIA could not satisfy the bench to cancel the bail of Imran Khan, it said.
The banking court had stated that the arrest was not compulsory in the case as all evidence was based on documents, the court added.

The FIA had registered an FIR against Imran Khan under Foreign Exchange Act after the decision of ECP in the prohibited funding case.