ISLAMABAD -  The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday again refused to grant a stay to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the proceedings pending before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the party’s foreign funding.

IHC judge Aamer Farooq rejected the petition moved by the PTI seeking a stay. The IHC bench, however, served notices on the secretary ECP and Akbar S Babar, who is the main complainant against PTI in the ECP.

After issuing the notices, the bench deferred the hearing till August 28.

Earlier on July 14, the IHC bench also rejected the PTI’s request for a stay in the matter.

On August 16, the ECP rejected the PTI’s plea to grant the stay of the proceedings. On May 8 order, the ECP said that it has the jurisdiction to question sources of party funds and had observed that Akbar Babar has the locus standi as he was still a member of the PTI.

PTI has originally challenged the May 8 order of ECP before the IHC and in the current application, it has sought that the ECP may be restrained 'from proceedings further in the matter till the decision of the Supreme Court or by this court, whichever is earlier.

“They (petitioner) had filed an application for the stay before the ECP saying that the petitions related to the issue were pending before the Supreme Court and the IHC. In the petition of PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi against Imran Khan, the ECP in its concise statement said that ‘there has been fraud,” said the petitioner.

It added that thus the ECP has become a party in a petition before the Supreme Court. However, the ECP on August 16 dismissed their stay application. And due to the dismissal of this application, petitioner is required to file the funding related documents which will make this petition infructuous.

During the hearing, Justice Aamer asked PTI counsel Anwar Mansoor to put the matter before Supreme Court as it was already pending there. At this, Mansoor said that there were summer vacations at Supreme Court and the bench was not available.

The IHC bench adjourned the hearing with aforesaid directions.

PTI through its chairman Imran Khan has filed a petition seeking to declare that the ECP has no jurisdiction to hear and decide complaints filed by private citizens questioning sources of party funds.