Pak poll body rejects plea on PTI witnesses in prohibited funding case

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 25 (ANI): The plea regarding the cross-examination of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) witnesses in the foreign funding case has been rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported.

The top election body of Pakistan not only rejected the plea of PTI but also issued a show cause notice ahead of confiscating the prohibited funding. The Pakistan Election Commission declared on August 2, 2022, that the allegations of illegally receiving funds from Pakistanis living abroad against Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party had been proven.

Following the verdict, the Election Commission demanded PTI provide a justification for why these funds should not be seized, and at the same time, it stated that it will refer the problem to the federal government.

According to the judgement, the PTI contested the constitutionality of the showcause notice and gave the PTI counsel was given six weeks to provide a response. The ECP heard the arguments from both parties and gave eight days to scrutinise the record, ARY News reported.

If the PTI’s request to question the witnesses in person was granted, the order indicated that the entire case will be reopened.

Last month, former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan was granted protective bail in one case by Lahore High Court (LHC) while the hearing of the second is yet to commence, reported Dawn.

On February 2, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling in the prohibited funding case.