Foreign funding case: ECP, ex-PTI member put on notice

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member on Imran Khan’s petition challenging the ECP’s decision to order examination of audited accounts of PTI on the allegations the party receives illegal foreign funding and contributions.

A division bench comprising Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi and Justice Aamer Farooq issued the notices and called for responses before November 29.

The PTI chairman, through his counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan, has challenged the ECP’s decision, claiming that the ECP does not have authority to adjudicate the matter of disputed facts and complaints raised under the Political Parties Order (PPO), 2002. Assuming jurisdiction is in violation of laws, he added.

Akbar Sher Babar, a PTI member who left the party due to differences with Imran Khan over internal corruption and alleged violations of laws to maintain its accounts, had filed the case before the ECP in November last year.

Baber had sought details of money transferred from abroad, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and United Arab Emirates to PTI accounts or to accounts of other party employees since July 2010.

In the petition, Khan maintained before the court that Baber lacks legal standing to approach the ECP with a complaint under the PPO. The poll supervisory body was acting in excess of power without statutory competence, he added.

Khan stated that the ECP was acting in violation in opening past and closed transaction as per the decision of the Supreme Court. He maintained that ECP’s October 8, 2015, order was liable to be struck down as it was in violation of the fundamental right of the petitioner enshrined under Articles 17, 24 and 25 of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, Khan told the court that he was surprised to see the names of five judges on the ECP order as he was heard by only four of them.

He prayed the court to revoke the order.

After issuing the notices, the bench adjourned till Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th,  2015.