IHC grants protective bail to Imran Khan in foreign funding case
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday granted protective bail to PTI Chief Imran Khan, on the security bonds of Rs5000, till October 18 in prohibited foreign funding case registered by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a case of prohibited funding against 11 people including Imran Khan yesterday, after which Imran Khan approached the court today for protective bail.
Imran Khan’s petition reads, that FIA has registered a case under the Foreign Exchange Act, the court should grant the protective bail to the petitioner.
On the other hand, Assistant Registrar Asad Khan raised 3 objections to Imran Khan’s protective bail plea, in which he questioned how the High Court could come before going to the special court, Imran Khan did not verified biometrics and in the application the FIR’s copy is also unattested.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Athar Minallah has started the hearing on the petition for protective bail, in which Salman Safdar and Intazarr Hussain Panjotha appeared in the court on behalf of Imran Khan.
At the outsets of hearing the court inquired about the petitioner Imran Khan’s presence.
Salman Safdar said that, “Islamabad police has cordoned off Bani Gala due to which Imran Khan was not able to appear before the court,” adding that, “if the court wants, he will appear.”
Later, the Islamabad High Court summoned Imran Khan to court in half an hour and stopped the Islamabad’s administration from harassing Imran Khan.
The Islamabad High Court ignored the objections to Imran Khan’s petition and directed that Imran Khan should not be arrested until he appears in court.
Background:
On August 2022, in the unanimous decision of the three-member bench, the Chief Election Commissioner said that it was proved that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received prohibited funding.
In the decision, it was said that funds from USA, Canada and Wootton Cricket to PTI were prohibited.
The verdict said that PTI received funds from 34 foreigners including Arif Naqvi, funding was also taken from Abraaj Group, IPI and USI.
Unknown accounts have also come to light, said the commission in its verdict, adding that hiding accounts is a “violation” of Article 17 of the Constitution.
Moreover, the ECP found that PTI Chairman Imran Khan submitted a false Nomination Form I and that the affidavit provided regarding party accounts was false.
The ECP decided to issue a show-cause notice to the PTI to explain why the commission should not seize the funds it received.
