intra court appeal
ISLAMABAD
Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved judgment on intra court appeal in PTI foreign funding case after hearing the arguments of the lawyers of parties concerned.
A division bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah and Justice Babar Sattar took up the case for hearing Tuesday.
Anwar Mansoor counsel for PTI appeared and told the court why PTI is being targeted. It is decision of Supreme Court (SC) that it is responsibility of Election Commission (EC) to conduct scrutiny of all political parties indiscriminately. EC is not court of law. It is administrative body.
The court remarked according to our understanding only funds can be forfeited maximum if prohibited funding case is proved. Scrutiny committee has filed its report. We have to see if EC issues show cause notice to PTI or otherwise on the basis of report.
The court inquired how can court interfere in the matters of constitutional institution.
Anwar Mansoor told the court EC is neither court nor tribunal.
The counsel for JUI-F told the court PTI has asked for conducting scrutiny of all political parties on day to day basis. We are requesting State Bank to provide evidence regarding JUI-F. Apparently PTI intent looks to be malafide.PTI wants decision in respect of all parties be made simultaneously so that no decision of any party is made. PTI case is old. Let us resolve PTI wants to club its case with the cases of other parties.
The court remarked the stage at which PTI resorted , how can the court suppose that EC is not taking ahead the transparent proceedings. How can we suppose the EC will not give transparent decision?
Anwar Mansoor told the court we are not talking of transparency but the problem is of indiscriminate proceedings.
The court remarked the results of this case are not of serious nature. When all the documents of PTI are correct then there is no need to worry.
Anwar Mansoor told the court we want the scrutiny of all political parties be completed simultaneously without discrimination.
Qaisar Imam advocate counsel for JI told the court EC has not sent notice to JI from 2014 to 2018. If EC wants to conduct our scrutiny we have no objection over it. But linking all parties to foreign funding case is not correct.
Counsel for EC told the court they had objection over one month period. That has passed now.
The court remarked JI is saying we are ready for scrutiny every time.
Anwar Mansoor told the court what JI is saying we are also saying it.
The court remarked Anwar Sahb you are raising very complicated issues. JI public meetings are held in simplicity. But your public meetings are forceful. Therefore, apprehension remains more.
The court stopped from making mention of Baryani wala public meetings.You should not go for political talk. No such question is rising legally on which we could issue any direction.
JI counsel told the court when PTI foreign funding case was running we had filed an application. It is not correct to link all political parties to foreign funding case. We have no objection over scrutiny of any party funding.
Kamran Murtaza told the court he had filed application that the decision of announcing the verdict within a month be nullified. The court had suspended single bench decision and stopped EC. Now that one month has completed.
PTI counsel told the court we are saying what JI is saying. In Watan party case SC has remarked only information can be provided. SC had remarked neither any one can be harassed nor the information can be used against them.
JUI-F counsel told the court who are filing intra court appeal why they are not following it.
The court reserved the judgment on completion of arguments from the parties concerned.
