PTI counsel winds up arguments in prohibited funding case

ISLAMABAD: PTI counsel Anwar Mansoor on Wednesday concluded his arguments in the election commission hearing of the prohibited funding case, ARY News reported.

A three-member panel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case.

PTI counsel completed his arguments with rejecting the Scrutiny Committee’s report on the accounts of the party.

“The cause list of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have written ‘foreign funding’ today,” the PTI lawyer complained, while initiating his arguments.

The CEC directed the officials to avoid ‘foreign funding’ adjective with the case in future. “Your clients are also using the ‘foreign funding’ word in the media,” chief election commissioner said.

“We are saying from the day one that it is prohibited funding case, not the foreign funding,” Anwar Mansoor said. ” You are correct, that is the reason instructions issued, ” CEC replied.

PTI lawyer argued that ” not the Election Act but the Political Parties Order 2002 will be the relevant law of the case.”

“Foreign governments, multi-national and local companies come under the PPO,” he said. “Election Act 2017 prohibits getting funds from anyone except Pakistan nationals,” the lawyer said. “The 2002 law will be applicable to all cases prior to 2017. Non-resident nationals in India have not been eligible to donate any political party,” he further argued.

“Indian law not allows dual nationality but in Pakistan it is legally permissible,” he said. “The law is also clear with regard to a foreign-funded party,” petitioner Akbar S. Babar’s counsel said.

“Only federation can act against a foreign-funded party and not the election commission,” Anwar Mansoor said.

“The scrutiny committee was briefed about all details and our stance over it,” PTI counsel said. “A scrutiny committee could only depend on the procedure described in the law. The committee declared, it will only accept that which meets its standards,” he said.

“PTI didn’t accept prohibited funding in its accounts and returned it to the account, which sent the amount,” counsel said. “The India and we have different laws with regard to prohibited funding. We accepted the amount, which was lawful and returned the unlawful money,” he argued. “Do you have documentary evidence of sending back that money,” election commission member questioned.

“Yes, definitely, I will submit documents,” Anwar Mansoor said. “There is a law but the scrutiny committee collected papers from outside, it said we will move forward in accordance with the Indian law, which is different from our law,” counsel said. “The scrutiny committee wrote that our evidence is insufficient. It rejected the information provided by me and Akbar S. Babar. It said that your list is not trustworthy,” he argued.