Yesterday, after more or less 8 years, the decision of the prohibited funding case against Tehreek-e-Insaaf was finally announced, which can be called a major success of the ruling coalition because the government representatives had given clear instructions to the Election Commission in their statements on the media. The foreign funding case should be decided.
The Election Commission ruled that hiding bank accounts is a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution. Funding received by PTI from Wooten Cricket, USA and Canada is illegal while Tehreek-e-Insaf also recognized 8 accounts and kept 13 accounts hidden.
In this regard, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while talking to the media said that PTI did not provide any record to the Election Commission. Every time it tried, the case could not go ahead as every tactic was used. Imran Khan also put pressure on the Election Commission so that the matter does not go ahead.
Undoubtedly, the decision of the prohibited funding case coming after 8 years can be described as a clear example of putting pressure on the Election Commission because Imran Khan was in the position of Prime Minister for more than 3 and a half years out of the said 8 years.
Before coming to power, Tehreek-e-Insaf raised the slogan of accountability by calling the current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the central leaders of other parties including the People’s Party as thieves. When asked, other justifications were cut instead of appearance.
Talking about the prohibited funding case, this case against Tehreek-e-Insaf was filed by PTI’s founder member Akbar S. Babar, during the long hearing of which Tehreek-e-Insaf requested for adjournment 30 times.
Tehreek-e-Insaf tried 6 times to declare the case unhearable and then questions were also raised on the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, but the Election Commission reserved the decision of the case on June 21 this year.
Election Commission directed PTI 21 times to provide financial records and documents. Tehreek-e-Insaf also changed lawyers 9 times. The Election Commission had set up a scrutiny committee in March 2018 to check the funding.
However, after the PTI came to power in the same year, the meetings of the Scrutiny Committee were largely fruitless. In 95 meetings, 24 times PTI filed an adjournment request and 20 times the committee had to issue orders that Tehreek-e-Insaf provides relevant documents.
Consider that the foreign funding case, which later came to be called the prohibited funding case, can have a very serious impact on the political future of Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Analysts say that once the prohibited funding is proven, there is no justification left for any political party to continue to exist. The question is whether PTI will be able to maintain its existence.
