Funding Case: PTI finance expert briefs ECP about party funds

ISLAMABAD: A financial expert of PTI on Thursday continued his briefing as a three-member bench of the election commission resumed hearing of the funding case, ARY News reported.

“Brief only about the accounts, details of which were not given to the scrutiny committee,” Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja told financial expert Najam Shah. “Clarify about six to seven accounts, which are disputed,” the CEC asked. “Don’t repeat, which have already been described, repeating of a matter creates confusion,” CEC added.

Financial expert said that the record of individually opened accounts could not be submitted to the scrutiny committee. “The party’s central finance committee could not received record of such accounts,” Najam Shah said.

Najam Shah said that there is a difference of over 310 million rupees in PTI record and report of the scrutiny committee. “The committee has made 310 million rupees overstatement in PTI funds,” he stated.

“A narrative is being floated that the PTI received funds over two billion rupees,” expert said.

“What is remains after comparison of bank funds,” CEC questioned. “I want to give details of accounts, which State Bank has attributed to the PTI,” PTI expert said.

“According to the State Bank the PTI had 26 bank accounts during 2009-13, while the party’s central finance wing collected funds from overseas with nine bank accounts. The committee has pointed out 836 millions, which could not be proved,” he said.

“PTI didn’t describe the source of several funds,” ECP member Nisar Durrani remarked. “The party’s central finance wing had no record of individually opened accounts,” PTI expert said.

The commission directed the PTI financial expert to conclude his briefing within five days. “We will demand details in case of any question”, CEC said.

The election commission directed the PTI lawyer to conclude his arguments within two days and adjourned further hearing of the case until June 07.