Funding Case: IHC rejects FIA plea to annul Imran Khan’s bail

• IHC rejected FIA plea seeking annulment of Imran Khan’s bail
• FIA sought cancellation of Imran Khan and Tariq Shafi’s bail
• ECP has rejected PTI plea for cross-examination of witnesses

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court on Wednesday rejected a plea filed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to cancel the bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in the prohibited funding Case.

A two-member bench of Islamabad High Court comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Tariq Jahangiri heard the FIA plea seeking bail cancellation of the former prime minister and Tariq Shafi.

During the hearing, FIA’s counsel informed the court that the PTI chairman has not joined the investigation. The lawyer sought to annul the bail granted by the banking court.

He also apprised the court that the PTI chief has maintained that those funds belong to charity but were used for political purposes. He said the federal agency needs to interrogate the former prime minister in the case.

The court announced the reserved verdict and rejected the FIA’s plea seeking the annulment of the bail granted to the PTI leader in the case.

Earlier today, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) heard the prohibited funding case against the PTI after several months.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, resumed the hearing and announced the verdict reserved on December 20.

The ECP rejected the PTI application demanding the cross-examination of key witnesses and decided to proceed with the show-cause notice in the foreign funding case.

The ECP passed the judgement on August 2, 2022, showing sources of prohibited funding and issued a show cause to the party seeking an explanation for the gross financial irregularities.

The PTI had filed a fresh application seeking cross-examination of key witnesses of the scrutiny committee and the bank officers.

The electoral body rejected the PTI’s request seeking a cross-examination. Moreover, the objections raised by the party against CEC Raja’s show-cause notice were also dismissed.

During the hearing, the chief election commissioner questioned the progress of the case in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

PTI lawyer replied that the IHC had directed the ECP to hear the parties.  CEC Raja remarked that the Election Commission hasn’t been stopped from taking action.

He said that the PTI sought six weeks’ time for the arguments but over six months have passed now.  The PTI’s counsel filed a petition to postpone the hearing of the case for two weeks which was rejected.

The Election Commission adjourned the hearing till March 28

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