PTI founder's close aides acquitted in foreign funding case

A banking court in Lahore on acquitted close associates of the PTI founder, bringing an end to a foreign funding case initiated by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in 2022.

Banking Court 2 announced the verdict after hearing final arguments, acquitting Hamid Zaman, Tariq Shafi and Asad Kakakhel.

The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to substantiate the allegations levelled against the accused.

Defence counsel Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq, representing the accused, argued that the case lacked credible evidence and that the prosecution had been unable to establish any illegal foreign funding.He maintained that the charges were based on assumptions rather than documented proof.

According to the prosecution record, the FIA had registered the case in 2022, alleging that the accused were involved in receiving and managing foreign funds for the Insaf Trust in violation of relevant laws.

The agency had subsequently submitted a challan before the banking court.

After examining the record and hearing arguments from both sides, the court ruled in favour of the accused and ordered their acquittal, effectively closing the case.

Meanwhile, a district court in Lahore reserved its verdict on an application filed by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari in a separate case relating to the alleged circulation of a fake video on social media.

The case is being heard against social media activist Falak Javed and others, accused of making a fake video viral online.

During the proceedings, Azma Bukhari requested the court to record her statement at the conclusion of the trial, arguing that statements of prosecution witnesses should be recorded first.

However, the defence opposed the plea, maintaining that under the law the complainant's statement must be recorded first.

Defence counsel Rana Maroof Advocate requested the court to summon Azma Bukhari at the next hearing for recording her statement and sought dismissal of her application.

After hearing arguments, the court reserved its decision on the application.