ECP reserves verdict in PTI prohibited funding case

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s prohibited funding case hearing completed in the election commission on Tuesday after Petitioner Akbar S. Babar’s financial expert concluded his arguments, ARY News reported.

Akbar S. Babar’s financial expert Arsalan Vardag completed his rejoinder in the case. Yesterday Babar’s Counsel Ahmad Hassan had concluded his contentions before a three-member panel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The ECP reserved its verdict after conclusion of arguments from the both sides of the case.

Shah Khawar was appeared before the ECP on behalf of the PTI.

“The case has concluded, the cases of other parties would also come to an end soon,” CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja said, while thanking the parties. “Seasoned jurists appeared in the case and several sensitive matters came to surface,” he said. “The democracy is very important for the country. We are not anxious about what is being said outside, the matter will be decided with justice,” CEC said.

Petitioner’s financial expert Arsalan Vardag in his rejoinder said, he will only talk over the figures that have been ambiguous. “It is a fact that the money came from the UK. No one knows about donors of the money came from Canada,” Vardag said.

“We have given the registration number of the funds came from Wootton Cricket Limited,” he said. “49,000 dollars came from a company in the UAE, the PTI didn’t refuse to accept the funds,” expert said. “However, no details of donors from Norway, Finland, New Zealand and Australia were disclosed”. “The PTI had submitted details to the election commission later,” CEC said.

“PTI had confirmed 11 bank accounts kept in secret. In these accounts transactions of 57 million were found,” financial expert said. “Incomplete details were provided to the scrutiny committee. The funding from 13 countries was not shared with the scrutiny committee, neither details of year 2013 donors were submitted,” Vardag said. “We have submitted the list of donors some days ago,” PTI counsel replied.

“The details of the companies made in foreign countries were not given,” petitioner’s financial expert said. He also urged for demanding details of the 11 PTI bank accounts from the State Bank of Pakistan.

In the end, Petitioner Akbar S. Babar thanked the ECP panel for hearing the case. “This case and this bench can made the history of Pakistan. The election commission has an opportunity to make the political parties accountable,” Babar said.