ECP rejects plea to keep lid on parts of report in PTI Foreign Funding case

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday turned down a plea to keep lid on some portions of the scrutiny committee report in PTI’s foreign funding case, ARY News reported.

Former attorney general Anwar Mansoor appeared on behalf of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the election commission.

Chief Election Commissioner said that the plea for keeping some parts of the report secret has been rejected.

Petitioner in the PTI foreign funding case, Akbar S. Babar, also appeared before the ECP panel accompanied with his lawyer.

“Some parts of the scrutiny committee report have not been given to us,” Babar’s counsel said.

PTI lawyer Anwar Mansoor appreciated scrutiny of political parties from the ECP, “However, the scrutiny of PTI was conducted first,” he said.

He claimed scores of flaws in the report of the scrutiny committee. “The source of several figures in the report are unknown”, he said. Moreover, several figures have been reported in the report, he further claimed.

PPP, PML-N funding cases

ECP further ordered the scrutiny committee formed for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) funding to submit its report in 10 days.

The scrutiny committee has become dysfunctional after retirement of a member, special secretary and the head of the scrutiny body said. “The PPP and PML-N cases have also similar nature,” special secretary said.

“The scrutiny committee will be reconstituted,” the CEC said and adjourned further hearing of the case until February 1st.