ECP declares PPP's plea against lawmakers' funds not maintainable

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) petition against the issuance of funds to lawmakers by Prime Minister Imran Khan after declaring it as not maintainable, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

A three-member bench headed by Irshad Qaiser heard the petition against the issuance of funds to the National Assembly (NA) lawmakers.

After the conclusion of the arguments, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved its verdict earlier in the day regarding the maintainability of a petition challenging the issuance of funds to the lawmakers by the premier.

During the hearing, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari told the ECP bench that NA lawmakers used to cast votes for electing senators and a corrupt practice was made by the issuance of funds to the legislators.

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Bukhari said that the prime minister violated the law by issuing funds to lawmakers.

The ECP member from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Irshad Qaiser, questioned Bukhari whether he has filed the petition personally or on behalf of a political party. Qaiser further questioned whether the premier announced the funds as the head of the state or as a chief of a political party.

Another ECP member Nisar Durrani remarked, “Is there any scheme announced by the prime minister for the lawmakers?”

Later, the ECP bench said that it will announce its judgement on the maintainability of the petition.

Later, the petition was rejected that challenged that issuance of funds to lawmakers by Prime Minister Imran Khan.