ECP barred: IHC suspends 30-day deadline order in PTI foreign funding case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended a single-bench’s order, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide foreign funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) within 30 days.

The IHC two-member bench suspended the single-bench ruling in PTI foreign funding case till the next hearing on May 17.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had challenged the Islamabad High Court’s single bench orders to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to ARY News, Asad Umar, the party’s secretary-general, filed the appeal against the order of a single-member bench which directed the ECP to conclude the proceedings in the foreign funding case within 30 days.

Speaking to media after filing the intra-court appeal against the IHC decision, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar termed the ECP as biased and said that it does not look the incumbent commission could hold free and fair elections in the country.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) recently also turned down two petitions of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against Akbar S Babar in foreign funding case.

The IHC rejected a petition filed by the ruling political party to bar the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from handing over the records of the PTI foreign funding case to the petitioner Akbar S Babar.

Another petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for separating Babar from the proceedings of the case was also rejected by the high court.

It is pertinent to mention here that foreign funding is being heard by the election commission since November 2014.