ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday adjourned hearing of appeals of former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-minister Asad Umer, challenging the fine imposed on them over violation of code of conduct during the recently-held second phase of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) till May 12.

The decision came when PTI counsel argued before a bench of the ECP that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had barred the commission from taking a decision about the appeals.

He said a copy of the order had been applied for, which in all probability will be received in the next two days and the case will be taken up for hearing by the IHC on June 8.

Directing the PTI counsel to submit a copy of the IHC order, the ECP put off the hearing till May 12.

Meanwhile, the scrutiny committee of the ECP on Monday took up hearing of the foreign funding cases against PML-N and PPP.

Talking to reporters later, PML-N lawyer Jehangir Jadoon said the PML-N had submitted all details of donations received by it, none of which were from prohibited sources.

He said the PTI will submit its objections to the documents.

PTI leader Farrukh Habib accused both PML-N and PPP of concealing multiple bank accounts from the ECP.

He referred to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s book and alleged that Nawaz Sharif had received $10 million from Osama bin Laden in the 1990s to bring a no-trust move against her government.

He added that the PML-N tried to hide behind legal technicalities that were not applicable to matters beyond five years.

While pointing out that applications against PML-N and PPP had been filed in 2018, he said the law must be equally applied to all parties and PTI must not be discriminated against.

He was of the view that the scrutiny committee should submit its reports about cases against PML-N and PPP as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn,May 10th, 2022