Pakistan: Pak Information Minister Aurangzeb takes a dig at PTI, asks ECP to hasten up foreign funding case

Pakistan's Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday called out the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to pay heed to the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as quickly as it finished the 25 PTI dissidents' case.

The Minister pointed out that the ECP decision on disqualification declarations had been given in a month's time but the foreign-funding case against the PTI had been pending for eight years, she said in a press conference.

In a further statement, she also claimed the ECP decision of de-seating 25 MPAs would not affect the Punjab government and Hamza Shehbaz would continue as the Chief Minister, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led the Punjab government along with its allies, enjoying the support of 177 members, whereas the PTI's strength in the legislature was 172 now.

Aurangzeb said it was not time for the PTI to celebrate but to mourn as 25 of its members had left the party in protest against the anti-people policies of the Imran Khan regime, The News International reported.

She noted that when the courts were opened at night in the wake of constitutional transgressions by Imran, he and the PTI hurled threats at the judges and the courts and also tried to defame their families.

She said the PTI dissident lawmakers overtly cast their conscience vote. "They knew about the consequences and voted against their party and in favour of the nation," she said.

The Minister claimed that these 25 members have not been de-seated but their action is akin to a slap in Imran's face, adding they have the right to prefer an appeal against the ECP decision.

Since her days as information secretary of PML-N, Marriyum Aurangzeb has accused Imran Khan of introducing dirt and filth into Pakistan's politics.

The foreign funding case is pending since November 14, 2014, and it was filed by PTI founding member Akbar S Babar who had alleged that there are some financial irregularities in the PTI's funding from Pakistan and abroad.

On January 4 this year, the ECP's scrutiny committee submitted its report on the PTI's foreign funding case after 95 hearings. The ECP's committee was formed in March 2018.

(ANI)