Prohibited funding case: IHC issues pre-admission notice to ECP

• ECP is directed to present its arguments in next hearing.
• Next hearing is scheduled to be held on August 24.
• Last week, PTI challenged ECP’s ruling in IHC.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday issued a pre-admission notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide on the admissibility of a petition filed by the PTI against the electoral body’s ruling in the prohibited funding case.

The high court had reserved the verdict today on the PTI's petition challenging the unanimous verdict announced by the ECP — according to which the PTI had received prohibited funding — and regarding the show cause notice issued by the election commission for its suspension.

The hearing has been further adjourned till August 24 (Wednesday) during which the ECP is expected to present its arguments after which the final decision will be taken by the IHC.

On August 10, the PTI challenged the ECP’s ruling in the IHC, seeking annulment of the order in the prohibited funding case.

In his petition filed with the IHC, PTI Additional Secretary-General Omar Ayub had asked the court to not only nullify the August 2 ruling, but also revoke the ECP's show-cause notice sent to PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

The petitioner had said he was "grossly aggrieved" by the fact-finding report — which revealed that the PTI had obtained funds from foreign sources — and demanded that it be declared "perverse, incorrect and in excess of authority and jurisdiction".

In his petition, he had also asked the court to "declare that any action suggested by the ECP is beyond its authority and that no action can be taken on the basis of a fact-finding report"