Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday allowed PTI leader and close aide of former prime minister Imran Khan Tariq Shafi, to travel abroad who was on the ECL in connection with prohibited funding case. As per details, the court directed concerned authorities to remove Tarif Shafi’s name from the passport control list and submit the report to IHC within a week. The six-page detailed verdict issued by Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri stated that one other accused Faisal Maqbool’s name was also removed on July 20, 2023. Last year in August, the ECP announced the much-awaited verdict in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prohibited funding case. The ECP bench in its reserved verdict said the case against PTI has been proven. ECP, in its unanimous verdict, ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and 34 foreign nationals.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi announced the reserved verdict. It is pertinent to note here that the Investigation Agency had registered a case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and 10 others over accusations of receiving foreign funding. The case had been registered by the FIA Corporate Banking Circle. The case’s First Information Report (FIR) stated that the accused including the former premier violated Foreign Exchange Act and all of the nominated persons were beneficiaries of the private bank account.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)