'Money trail complete', Imran Khan's counsel tells SC

ISLAMABAD: The three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, adjourned the disqualification case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief till July 31.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi had petitioned the Supreme Court to disqualify PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Naeem Bukhari, the PTI chairman's counsel, presented his arguments. 

Bukhari said after receiving the documents from Imran’s former wife, Jemima, the money trail has been completed.

During the hearing, the chief justice observed that Bukhari Sb will be given time to verify documents.

Bukhari informed the bench that he is unsure if certain banks [involved in the transactions] are still operational.

The chief justice remarked that if the banks have shut down then where did the counsel acquire the records. Bukhari responded that records have been received from a former accountant.

“We will try our best to satisfy the court and will go to London if need be to verify the documents,” said Bukhari.

The bench will begin hearing the matter of PTI leader Tareen’s disqualification from tomorrow. 

Addressing the media after the hearing, PTI Spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said the case against Imran Khan belongs in the waste basket. He said once the Panama Papers verdict is announced, the entire PML-N leadership too will be in the trash bin.

In his media talk, Abbasi claimed the PTI chairman is heading towards disqualification. He claimed the PTI chief’s lawyer has already accepted in court that the party receives foreign funding.

Abbasi's objections 

On Monday, Abbasi submitted his reply to the PTI chief's money trail, stating that the documents submitted by Imran Khan with regards to the London flat and cricket contracts are incomplete and unverified.

Abbasi, in his 15-point reply, appealed to the apex court to dismiss Imran’s ‘money trail’ as it is doubtful and an attempt to mislead the court.

Abbasi petitioned the Supreme Court late last year seeking to disqualify Imran and PTI’s Jehangir Tareen for ‘not declaring their assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan and alleged violations of the lncome Tax Ordinance 1979 and Peoples Act 1974’. The petition also terms the PTI a ‘foreign funded party’.

On Monday, the PTI submitted a detailed reply to the court.

The 700-page reply states that the PTI collected funds from people with dual citizenship, adding that funds received by an agent company are not illegal or foreign.

The reply further states that the PTI chief raised funds from abroad to ensure transparency. Pakistan Peoples Party and PML-N also raised funds abroad but the party leaders have yet to submit details of their funding, the reply states.

The reply states that Abbasi’s allegations aim to malign the party, and that the petitioner did not submit any concrete evidence to prove his case.

Moreover, the reply also mentions that the petitioner claimed that PTI received funds from non-Muslims and foreign sources. “These allegations by the petitioner seek to batter the minority community of the country,” it states.