IHC allows Akbar S. Babar to become party in PTI funding case
October 15, 2022 04:12 PM
Rejecting the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday allowed Akbar S. Babar, petitioner in the PTI’s prohibited funding case, to become a party in the case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A larger bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar, in its remarks, said that since Babar, being petitioner in the case, had been the part of the proceedings from the very start, there was no justification for keeping him out of the case now.
In a big blow to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had on March 17, 2022 rejected the then ruling party’s request to separate Akbar S. Babar, the petitioner, from the foreign funding case.
The ECP also turned down the party’s request to adjourn today’s hearing.
Member Sindh Nisar Durrani said that seeking adjournments time and again was not good. “After several years, the scrutiny committee has finally given its findings. Let the election commission decide the case now,” he said.
The chief election commissioner, on the occasion, asked as to for how many years the ECP could drag the case on.
The PTI had filed the petition in the ECP a few days ago, in which they had made the request to separate Akbar S. Babar from the foreign funding case.
Reporter: Ehtesham Kiyani