IHC forms larger bench to hear PTI prohibited funding case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided to constitute a larger bench to hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition, challenging Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict in the prohibited funding case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Names of the judges who will constitute the bench are yet to be finalised. Justice Umar Farooq took up the petition filed by the PTI challenging the ECP’s verdict in prohibited funding case.

During the hearing, PTI counsel Anwar Mansoor argued that the accounts’ information, which were provided, was not included in the electoral watchdog’s verdict. “We had told ECP that some accounts’ information was not necessary due to some reasons,” he added.

The PTI counsel noted that some funds were transferred to provincial leaders from central accounts, urging the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop ECP from taking any action against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Meanwhile, Justice Umar Farooq announced to constitute a larger bench, saying that a stay order will also be issued by the larger bench. The bench would take up the petition in PTI prohibited funding case on August 18.

ECP verdict

The ECP bench in its reserved verdict said prohibited funding against PTI had been proven.

ECP, in its unanimous verdict, ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign nationals.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi announced the reserved verdict.