While accepting a miscellaneous petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for investigations into the party funds of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday fixed the petition for early hearing on December 22, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The petition had been filed by PTI leader Farrukh Habib, and the court ordered the Registrar Office to fix it for early hearing on December 22 next. PTI’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry had appeared before the court.

“Let’s set a date for hearing after holidays,” IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said to Faisal Chaudhry.

“We request you to set a date before holidays, for it’s a minor issue. It will be too late otherwise,” Faisal Chaudhry pleaded with the court.

“It’s a minor issue [no doubt], but next week other major issues of yours are also scheduled for hearing,” the IHC chief justice remarked.

“Let’s fix this petition for hearing before the holidays,” he added. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had also been made a respondent in the petition.

“There is an order of the Supreme Court regarding the scrutiny of party funds. Only three-year funds of the PPP and the PML-N are being scrutinised,” the petition read.

“On the request of Akbar S Babar, the party funds of the PTI from 2008 had been scrutinised. The PTI was discriminated vis-à-vis other political parties,” it added.

“The ECP ditched its fair and transparent role in the scrutiny of party funds. The court should order the ECP to complete the scrutiny of the party funds of the PPP and the PML-N within two weeks,” it demanded.

It also demanded that the court order the scrutiny of five-year party funds of the PPP and the PML-N.

The court then fixed the petition of the PTI for hearing on December 22 next.

Reporter: Ehtisham Kiyani