ECP hears PTI funding case, says received scrutiny report

ISLAMABAD: The report of the PTI accounts scrutiny on Tuesday produced in the hearing of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported.

A three-member bench of the ECP headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case pertaining to alleged foreign funding to the PTI.

Akbar S. Babar, Asad Umar, Aamir Kyani and the PTI’s lawyer Shah Khawar appeared in the ECP hearing of the matter.

CEC told the sides that the scrutiny committee has submitted its report to the election commission.

The counsel of Akbar S. Babar requested for providing the scrutiny committee’s report and the material relevant to it.

“The report is only for the parties it should only be provided to them,” PTI counsel Khawar argued. “The report should not made public till we give our comments,” he pleaded.

“This is not an in-camera session,” a member of the commission remarked. ” The report should be made public after we submit our explanation,” PTI counsel said. He requested for keeping the report secret till the PTI’s explanation.

“Let the scrutiny of the accounts of other parties be completed,” PTI lawyer said. “The reports of the scrutiny of other parties’ accounts are also in concluding phase then release them in a go,” PTI counsel suggested.

“How all reports be compiled collectively,” the CEC asked. “The copies of the report should be provided to all parties,” the CEC said.

“The details of accounts gathered by the election commission itself was not provided,” Akbar Babar’s counsel said.

“The commission is not in a position to issue an order. It could not say if the parties be made it public or not,” CEC Raja said.

The commission adjourned further hearing of the case for 15 days.

The election commission on Monday decided to hear foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after seven years of delay.