ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Supreme Court approved on Saturday Akbar S. Babar’s request to become party to the appeal of the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against verdict of election Committee of Pakistan in case of prohibited funding.
Early in august threesome bench of ECP stated that PTI “knowingly and deliberately” received funding from prohibited sources, including foreign nationals.
ESP bench in its ruling stated that funding from Wootton Cricket, owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi, came from a prohibited source.
He stated that funding received from over 350 foreign companies and 34 foreign citizens – many of them of Indian origin – was also from prohibited sources. Funds have been raised in USA, UK and Canada.
The Commission announced funding received from Romitta Shetty of Singapore. also financed from prohibited sources.
A week later, PTI challenged the verdict. in IHC. party asked the court to “suspend the operation of Act on the establishment of the disputed facts dated 02.08.2022 of ECP” because they claimed the report was “perverse, incorrect and in excess of powers and jurisdiction”.
party also asked the court to suspend show cause notice issued by the commission.
In his PTI statement also asked the court to declare that any action proposed by the ECP is not within its mandate. it also wants the court to declare that no action can be taken on the foundation of ECP fact find report.
At the founding of the PTI Babar member, who was original petitioner in ESP against PTI foreign funding case, PTI opposed.
Babar in his application has been submitted in IHC on August 17 claimed to be a member of PTI and original complainant.
No mention of to me in a PTI petition and was not named as a defendant in case, Babar said.
IHC on Saturday added Babar as defendant in the case.
The court noted that it would be unfair for Babar to remove him from the case at this stage.
“He participated in proceedings all the time and he was imprisoned in various rounds of trial, there are no grounds for its exclusion at this stage,” the resolution says.
