ECP summons 48 political parties' heads failing to file tax returns

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has summoned 48 political parties heads, including PTI Nazariati and Sunni Ittehad Council, for failing to submit their tax returns, ARY News reported.

As per details, the commission had directed all parties to submit their annual income, expenditures, funding sources, and assets by August 29.

However, the ECP summoned senior party leaders Akhtar Mengal and Hammad Raza, and directed them to appear before the commission today.

The commission also issued notices to 48 parties for non-compliance with the financial reporting requirements.

In a separate development, the ECP summoned Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan’s Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman for allegedly breaching the election code of conduct today (Wednesday).

The notice directed at Hafiz Naeem specifically referenced a prohibition on large gatherings and events in Gulberg Town prior to the local government by-election.

It noted that a ‘Bano Qabil’ test gathering took place on November 1 in the Gulberg area of Karachi, which the ECP deemed a violation of electoral regulations. District monitoring officer Muhammad Saleem Abbasi summoned Hafiz Naeem to appear before the election watchdog to submit reply.

The ECP finalised a plan to establish three-tier Election Monitoring and Control Centres (EMCC) to oversee the local government by-elections in 26 Sindh districts being held on November 14.

The Election Monitoring and Control Centres (EMCC) will be set up at the provincial, divisional, and district levels to register to address public complaints of candidates and people.