Foreign Funding Case.

ISLAMABAD    -   Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Wednesday said he was not under obligation to provide any information to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the prohibited funding case.

The PTI chairman termed the FIA’s notice a malafide action and refused to give details about PTI bank accounts.  In a written response to the FIA’s notice, the former prime minister refused to provide his personal banking details and said he is neither answerable nor obligated to provide information. The reply to the notice was sent by former attorney general Anwar Mansoor Khan on behalf of the party and its chairman. Imran also warned the investigative agency of legal action if it did not withdraw the notice within two days.

Terming the notice malicious intent on part of the agency, Imran Khan stated in his reply that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had issued a report and not a decision in the prohibited funding case. “The election commission cannot issue orders to FIA or any other body based on this report,” said the reply. “The FIA does not have the authority to take action under the Political Parties Order 2002,” said the former premier, adding, the notice also contravenes the FIA Act. “The Supreme Court has declared the Election Commission as an administrative body in several decisions. The ECP is neither a court nor a tribunal,” he maintained. Earlier this month, the FIA had formed a five-member special monitoring team, expanding the scope of inquiry into the prohibited funding case against the former ruling party to the entire country.

The PTI had moved the court against the FIA for taking action following the ECP’s verdict in the prohibited funding case. However, the IHC had disposed of the petition. On August 16, the IHC decided to form a larger bench on the decision of the ECP’s prohibited funding case against the PTI.

The FIA has sought records from PTI chairman Imran Khan regarding the total funds provided to the party by national and international donors. Following the direction of the ECP, FIA’s inquiry team issued a notice to Imran Khan, seeking details of the foreign funding including the party’s accounts and other relevant information.