ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is facing scrutiny for allegedly receiving funds from prohibited sources, has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to scrutinise the accounts of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as well. Farrukh Habib of the PTI has filed an application with the ECP, requesting the electoral body to scrutinize financial accounts of both the parties to look for whether they have received funds from illegal sources. He submitted in his plea that the PML-N and PPP have collected funds from foreign countries, prohibited under the election laws, and did not disclose the sources of funds in their nomination papers. There were inconsistencies in financial account of both the parties, he said, adding that their accounts needed to be scrutinized thus. He pleaded to the ECP to act against these parties for receiving foreign funds. Earlier this week, the Commission had decided to examine the financial records submitted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 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. Disgruntled ex-PTI member Akbar S. Babar has taken the party to the ECP for receiving funds from prohibited sources.
Published in Daily Times, October 21st 2017.
