FIA to probe prohibited funding case: Jubilant coalition govt decides to send a declaration to SC

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday has taken a principled decision to send the declaration against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to the Supreme Court as per the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in a post-cabinet media briefing said the ECP has decided the foreign funding case which has been delayed for eight years.

She said the Election Commission is a constitutional institution which gave a decision under the Political Parties Order 2002 and the Election Act 2017.

In eight years, PTI got 51 adjournments in this case, she added.

She said this case has nothing to do with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the current government.

This case was taken to the Election Commission by Akbar S Babar, she added.

Prohibited funding case: ‘Action against PTI according to Constitution & law’

At the request of Babar, the Election Commission asked the PTI for all the evidence, but they did not respond despite the passage of eight years, on which the State Bank of Pakistan presented all the records, the minister further said.

She said the government is bound to implement it according to the constitution and the law as per Political Parties Order 2002 and the Election Act 2017.

She said the Ministry of Law gave a detailed briefing to the cabinet.

The government is obliged to implement such decisions according to the constitution and law, she said.

In the decision, the PTI has been declared “a foreign-aided” party, she maintained.

Imran Khan submitted a fake affidavit five times, she said.

In the next cabinet meeting after Ashura, the Ministry of Law will review all the legal and constitutional matters and submit the declaration against the PTI to the Supreme Court, she affirmed.

The PTI was declared as a party receiving foreign funding; it did not declare 16 accounts; out of 26 accounts PTI took ownership of eight, she said.

These accounts were opened in the name of PTI’s senior leadership including Imran Khan and the money kept coming in the names of PTI employees and it was not even declared, she further said.

PTI has obtained 51 adjournments in this case, changed nine lawyers, and filed 11 petitions in the High Courts, saying that it is not the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.

PTI received funding from Wootton Cricket Limited, Bristol Engineering Services, E-Plant Trustees, PTI USA, PTI Canada Co-operation, Ms Romita Shetty, an Indian-American woman.

The cabinet also offered special prayers for the officers of Pakistan armed forces who were martyred in the helicopter accident and the people who died in the floods.

Besides this, the Cabinet appreciated Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor and the Ministry of Religious Affairs for making the best arrangements for Hajj.

The minister told media that a three-member panel was presented to the cabinet for the appointment of the CEO of Pakistan Reinsurance Company. The cabinet approved the appointment of Farmanullah as the chief executive.

Also, detailed reports of the NDMA and the PDMA were presented in the cabinet, she said.

She said the prime minister is monitoring the relief activities himself. He also visited Balochistan, where the shortcomings were noticed and immediate action was taken. The prime minister today also visited the flood-affected areas of Dera Ismail Khan. He also directed the administration to carry out the rehabilitation works immediately.

According to the instructions of the prime minister, relief cheques of Rs1 million are being given to the families of the deceased. Apart from this, 0.5 million rupees per family is being paid for the construction of damaged houses, she said.

She said the Cabinet expressed satisfaction over the ongoing rescue and relief activities in the country and appreciated the excellent working relationship between NDMA, PDMAs, and Pakistan Army.

The prime minister directed that a joint survey be conducted with NDMA, provincial governments, and the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities to estimate the damage caused by the floods.

On this occasion, the prime minister also approved a committee under the leadership of Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, whose objective is to consider the joint survey and plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction together with the provinces, the names of the remaining members of the committee would be announced soon.

Funds for rehabilitation, reconstruction and the families of the deceased have been directed immediately, the federal minister of information said.

She said the prime minister directed that joint surveys should be transparent, fact-based, and comprehensive.

The Cabinet also directed the Ministry of Economic Affairs to contact the international donor agencies in Pakistan to discuss the provision of resources for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the flood-affected areas.

The prime minister directed the NDMA, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the relevant federal agencies to also contact the domestic NGOs and philanthropists so that the work can be accelerated.

She said a framework agreement between the governments of Pakistan and Denmark was also approved.

After the signing of this agreement, a new chapter will be added regarding economic relations between the two countries, she said.

Other benefits of the deal include interest-free loans, 35 percent subsidy, and transfer of Danish technology to Pakistan, she added.

She said the Ministry of Interior has recommended to the Federal Cabinet to reduce the sentences of prisoners by three months on the occasion of Independence Day.

After detailed consideration, the Cabinet directed the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Law to present a summary of the sentences of the prisoners on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day of the country.

In this regard, in the light of relevant laws, special reduction in sentences should be recommended for elderly prisoners, women, children and all those prisoners who have served two-third of their sentence.

The Ministry of Planning and Development informed the Federal Cabinet regarding the ongoing development schemes under the Sustainable Development Program.

On this occasion, the prime minister directed Finance Minister Ismail and Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal to re-evaluate the development projects and inform the cabinet regarding the availability of resources for their implementation.

The Federal Cabinet also paid tribute to the Federal Secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs Mian Asad Hayauddin for his national services spanning more than three decades.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022