PESHAWAR - The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Thursday stopped the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from investigating former speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser in the PTI prohibited funding case till next hearing.
The FIA summoned the former National Assembly speaker for questioning him Thursday, but he refused to appear before the body as he had challenged their decision to summon him a day earlier. In a short order issued after Thursday’s hearing, the court prohibited the anti-corruption watchdog from investigating the ex-NA speaker till the next hearing.
The court asked the FIA what were the directions that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had issued to the body regarding the probe. The PHC asked the FIA whether the federal government asked it to probe the PTI leaders. It also asked the FIA whether the probing under the Political Parties Order 2022 comes under the ambit of the body.
On Wednesday last, Asad moved the Peshawar High Court against the start of an inquiry by FIA into two bank accounts of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, allegedly managed by him from 2008 to 2013 as its then provincial president.
Qaiser filed a petition requesting the court to set aside a notice issued by a FIA official to appear before him in connection with the bank accounts inquiry.
The petitioner also sought interim relief from the court requesting it to suspend action on the inquiry and stop the respondents, including the relevant FIA officials, from issuing ‘adverse’ orders against him until the disposal of the case.
The FIA deputy director (commercial banking circle), Peshawar, had ordered that inquiry in the wake of the August 2 verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the PTI had received funds from prohibited sources.