Election Commission of Pakistan Thursday reissued notices to Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan over a plea seeking Khan's disqualification from Parliament on the basis of false declaration before the Commission about sources of funding.
A five-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza issued the notices to Khan while taking up a plea of Hashim Ali Bhutta, urging the Commission to declare the PTI chairman ineligible for filing false certificates about prohibited source of funding before the Commission during 2010 to 2014.
The matter was fixed before the five-member bench on Thursday where Imran Khan failed to appear to which the CEC Sardar Muhammad Raza observed why not the current matter should be fixed along with the similar matter of embezzlement in PTI's foreign funding on January 16.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, Sharafat A Chaudhry pleaded that there is difference in foreign funding and prohibited source of funding. Sharafat made it clear before the bench that certain provisions of the Political Parties Order 2002 barred on funds collection directly or indirectly from any foreign government, multinational or domestically incorporated public or private company.
Sharafat A Chaudhry pleaded that funds collected from any local or foreign firm and trade or professional association are prohibited; however, he said that a political party may accept contributions and donations only from Pakistani nationals. Advocate Sharafat A Chaudhry further argued that the PTI had collected funds from foreign individual, firms, trade associations and other business entities which is a sheer violation of the law of the land.