SC shows anger over Imran’s failure to submit reply

• PTI counsel submits apology for delay in reply
• CJ questions property purchase in Britain
• ‘Money trail of one of Imran’s accounts vague’

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed annoyance over failure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to submit a reply to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) stance in his disqualification case.

A three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Faisal Arab heard the case filed by Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi seeking Imran’s disqualification on the basis of allegations that his party had acquired funding from prohibited foreign sources.

During the proceedings, ECP’s counsel Ibrahim Satti informed the court that the commission was agreed to form an investigation body as to whether the PTI acquired foreign funding from prohibited sources. He said it was the first time a political party’s foreign funding was being investigated.

He said that the political parties did not even feel the need to submit information relating to domestic funding. He said that the ECP could act against a party if it was notified that the same had has submitted incorrect information to it. The party involved in such fraud could be banned or stopped from working, he added.

The ECP’s counsel also claimed that political parties did not follow ECP regulations when it came to election expenditures and spent excessively in an attempt to win elections. The party tickets were sold for more than the official limit for election expenditure, he pointed out.

Akram Sheikh, counsel for petitioner Hanif Abbasi, said that Imran Khan had not submitted reply to the application based on his speech in the parliament and TV interviews. The chief justice observed that there were some gaps that needed to be filled as he did not want the hearing affected due because of the same.

He also expressed annoyance over the PTI chief’s failure to submit the reply to ECP’s contentions in the case. Upon this, one of PTI counsels Faisal Chaudhry apologised to the court for the delay. Upon inquiry of the chief justice, PTI counsel Naeem Bukhari informed the court that Imran’s counsel Anwar Mansoor was abroad till August 15.

The CJP remarked that the PTI chief should have engaged another counsel as the court would not adjourn the hearing for an indefinite period. He asked as to how the property was purchased for 117,000 pounds in the United Kingdom. If Imran Khan earned the money by playing cricket then he (Imran) could obtain certificates from the companies, he added.

He remarked that the money trail of one of Imran’s accounts was vague and documents supporting his income claims from playing must be submitted to the court. Bukhari said that he would provide the details to the court. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned till July 13.

Talking to media, PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi said that Imran Khan was morally and financially corrupt and his corrupt practices would result in a ban on his party. He said that the money was a weakness of Imran and he can grab money from anywhere, no matter it was any mafia or tax evaders or corrupt elements.

“Can Imran reply how could he afford the expenses to study at the Oxford University. He does not have money trail even for his Bani Gala residence,” he said. He said that Imran even could not provide proof of foreign funding received by his party. “This nation wants your trial and seeks answer as to from where you get money to pay for air travelling in private planes,” he said.

Abbasi said that Imran was also not ready to produce a record of his party funds before the Election Commission as he also questioned the source of income and lifestyle of the PTI chief. “Does your lifestyle reflect that you just pay Rs150,000 annual income tax?” He said that there was nothing more in JIT boxes than hypothesis as the team had failed to gather any concrete evidence against the prime minister or his family.

He said Nawaz Sharif and his family have been doing business over the decades while Imran Khan has been thriving on charity money collected in the name of a public welfare project. “You are conspiring against democracy and people and your conspiracy has links with anti-Pakistan forces. But Nawaz Sharif is executing public welfare projects for socio-economic uplift of people,” Abbasi said.

He reiterated that despite all odds Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would continue steering forward with an agenda of constructing motorways, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, power projects and health, education and young promotion schemes. “Imran cannot understand problems of people. He is an opponent to progress and playing with emotions of innocent people just to become prime minister. But people are well aware as to who can address their problems,” he added.