PTI on Tuesday raised objections against election Committee of Pakistan (ECP), arguing that the “incomplete commission” is not empowered to decide on any case under the constitution.
PTI counsel Anwar Mansour raised objections as two members of ESP – out of in total four – written off after completion of their possessions.
Mansour’s objections came from three people. bench of ECP, led by Chief Electoral Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, resumed hearings in case of PTI’s foreign funding today.
At the beginning of today’s hearing, PTI counsel Anwar Mansour claimed that two of ESP member retired in 2019, but places are not filled yet.
“The constitution empowers the election commission, but not the commissioner or members,” Mansour. added.
At the same time, the CEC Raja noted that the Islamabad High Court (IAC) ordered the EPC to decide on the case within 30 days, adding that the EPC wanted hear the case on daily in line with IHC order.
During the course of proceedings, PTI lawyers expressed disappointment over observations of IHC and said he complete his arguments in three days.
Meanwhile, the CEC postponed the hearing until next week.
Conversation with journalists outside ESP office in Islamabad, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that party does not mind checking of his party means but ECP should convene other political parties.
“There is nothing in case. All of our funds are legal,” Qureshi said, adding that the oversight committee had exceeded its authority. “We have received funds with cooperation of people but didn’t rob national treasury, he added.
The PTI leader expressed hope that other parties also be weighed on on the same balance on which the PTI is weighed.
For his part, the head of PTI and former minister of state for Farrukh Habib said PTI will file an internal court appeal challenging the IHC order.
On the other hand, Akbar S. Babar, the petitioner, told reporters that the IHC’s decision would bring the matter to its logical conclusion.
He said that if funding from prohibited sources is proven, then it will affect PTI and its chairman.
April 14 IHC ordered ECP to wind down up foreign funding case of PTI within 30 days.
The orders were issued by Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani. on applications filed by PTI requesting for Suspension of Akbar S. Babar from the case, dismissal of case and storage of PTI documents secret.
PTI disputed ECP’s exemption applications of Babar, petitioner, from the case of foreign funding. He had also required that all entries of case, including documents requisitioned through the State Bank of Pakistan, should don’t share with Babar, who filed a case in November 2014
However, the IHC ruled that the ECP role “is an of important nature and the same cannot be reversed in in any way.” He noted that body is “supervisory, regulatory and administrative body according to the constitution of Pakistan, 1973 before deal with in affairs of political parties, elections and their results”.
This is also noted that “no restrictions may be placed on the ECP to accept any process of inquiry, investigation, scrutiny to achieve out mandate of appointed duty in terms of Article 17(3).”
“If there of in party funding was received from prohibited sources, this will affect the status of such a political party including its chairman, therefore, it is necessary to dig out in truth even petitioner being political party is an also under an obligation to maintain their dignity and integrity, which is far-reaching effect in Pakistani society and if any foreign funding was received contrary to the law and mandate of Constitution, petitioner should face in music”, the verdict says.
