Prohibited Funding Case: Court Extends Interim Bail Of Two Accused Till Dec 13

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Dec, 2022 ) :A special court for offences in banks on Monday extended the interim bail of two accused, involved in a case of prohibited foreign funding against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, registered by the Federal Investigation Agency Lahore, till December 13.

Banking Offence Court Judge Aslam Gondal heard the pre-arrest bail applications of both the accused,Tariq Shafi and Mubashir Ahmad.

The FIA's investigation officer appeared before the court during the proceedings and sought time for completing the investigations and submitting a report in response to a court query. He assured the court that the investigation report would be submitted soon.

At this, the court adjourned the further proceedings till December 13 and extended the interim bail of the accused till the next date of hearing.

The accused had filed pre-arrest bail applications, saying that the FIA had nominated them in a case of prohibited funding.

They submitted that allegations of prohibited funding were baseless, adding that they wanted to join the investigations but feared arrest. They pleaded with the court to grant benefit of the bail to them as co-accused, Hamid Zaman, had already been granted bail in the matter.

The FIA alleged that Tariq Shafi got registered a bogus trust to give an impression that same is part of the PTI in the name of "The Insaf Trust" as chairman with Ashiq Hussain Qureshi as deputy chairman, Hamid Zaman as general secretary, Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhry and Mubashir Ahmad as trustees. It says the funding received in the trust was used for political campaigns of the PTI.

The agency further alleges that the suspects and Arif Naqvi of Abraaj group in collusion with the PTI leadership and others committed a fraud.