Now the reckoning

The financial affairs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are coming under judicial scrutiny and the party is far from happy about it — or forthcoming. The leader of the party, a man who has been prominent in his demands for transparency and accountability by just about every other political player in the land, is Imran Khan. Never a man who is shy of placing the affairs of his fellow politicians for public scrutiny, he is curiously reticent when it comes to being equally revelatory with the finances of the party he has led from its inception.

As a consequence of this tardiness the Election Commission of Pakistan may serve contempt notices on Imran Khan for what is termed ‘his continuous defiance’ regarding the presentation of records relating to the funding of the PTI. Political parties do not run on fresh air anywhere. They need money, and the sources of their funding are often the subject of scrutiny by accountability entities such as the ECP. The inquiry into the PTI finances has been pending for two years but largely under the radar, making few ripples. The issuance of a contempt notice would alter the climate considerably. The PTI response is not untypical of responses it has made in the past when challenged — it is planning to seek a similar audit of all the political parties that are registered with the ECP, a diversionary tactic of considerable proportions. The case was heard on Monday 23^rd of January — but no PTI lawyer appeared at court.

The matter has its origins in the actions of a disaffected former leader of the PTI, Akbar Babar, who has alleged that the PTI has received funds through illegal sources, failed to conduct an adequate audit and concealed monies received from overseas in the accounts details it is obliged to submit to the ECP. These are serious charges which must be answered. The PTI must be held to account as it seeks to hold others, but its defiance of the Court is arrogant and unbefitting of a party that claims the ascendant in terms of being whiter than white. We await developments.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2017.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.