ECP to scrutinise PTI foreign funding details

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided on Monday to examine the financial records submitted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during the ‘foreign funding case’ proceedings.

Hearing a petition filed by one of the PTI founding members, Akbar S. Babar, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan said that the electoral body will thoroughly scrutinise the details submitted by the party.

“The commission will not share details in connection of party funding records until the matter is in the high court,” the CEC ruled.

At the outset, the plaintiff through his counsel submitted the additional records of the party funding allegedly to expose discrepancies with the details that were submitted to the Supreme Court.

The petitioner pleaded with the country’s top electoral regulatory to cross check the records.

To which, the PTI lawyer said the commission can review the details, however, should not disclose it until the matter is in the Islamabad High Court.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the CEC adjourned the hearing till November 21.

Talking to media persons outside the ECP, Akbar S. Babar said the details submitted by the PTI lacks a trail. “The party has submitted bogus and incomplete records,” he claimed.

He said that he would expose the tampered documents. “They are changing records of US fundraising companies. I will be writing a letter to the US ambassador requesting for stern action against those companies,” he further said.

Seeking Khan’s disqualification, Babar claimed that the donors of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital have been listed as donors of the PTI.

In the last hearing on September 18, the PTI lawyer had submitted the party’s foreign funding details of last seven years. PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry then submitted details of the party’s foreign funds spanning seven years from 2010 to 2017.

Disgruntled ex-PTI member Akbar S. Babar has taken the party to the ECP for receiving funds from prohibited sources.