![<p>Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. —DawnNewsTV/File</p>](https://i.dawn.com/primary/2022/07/1910454423c3959.png)
Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare the “long-delayed” decision in the PTI issue involving illegal funding, also known as the foreign funding case.
“Imran Niazi has long had a pass despite his persistent and despicable assaults on government institutions. He received impunity, which was bad for the nation. The case, brought by Akbar S. Babar, has been unresolved since November 14, 2014. Babar, who was a founding member of the PTI but is no longer affiliated with it, had claimed that the party’s funding from Pakistan and overseas had been subject to major financial irregularities.
Last month, the ECP had a guarded decision.Days after the PTI won a resounding victory on 20 seats in the Punjab by-elections, the premier made his comments. Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI, criticised the ECP for being biassed in a speech to supporters yesterday and sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja for allegedly favouring the PML-N in election contests.
Imran emphasised that early elections were still the only way to address the nation’s economic issues and asserted that his party won the by-elections despite the usage of state apparatus.
After Imran finished speaking, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz urged the ECP to render a decision on the foreign funding case as soon as possible. There is indisputable proof against you (Imran) that will unavoidably come to light.She emphasised that rigging, which she claimed didn’t even happen, wasn’t the cause of Imran’s criticism of the ECP.
The ECP had reserved its decision in the prohibited funding case, formerly known as the foreign funding case, against the PTI last month, but it has not yet been made public.
Babar, the petitioner, claimed that the party’s funding from Pakistan and overseas had been subject to major financial irregularities. However, the PTI had denied any