Over 300 political parties yet to submit accounts statements with ECP

As many as 31 groups out of 345 have submitted their statements of bank accounts for financial year 2016-17

ISLAMABAD: As many as 312 political parties have failed to submit their statements of bank accounts for financial year 2016-17 with the top poll supervisory body within due time.

According to an official of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), some major political parties couldn't submit their statements of accounts including Mutahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan), Muslim League (Functional), Pakistan Muslim League (Zia), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Junejo).

He said that as many as 31 political parties out of 345 have submitted their statements of bank accounts for financial year 2016-17 with the ECP within due time.



He said that Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan and Qaumi Watan Party has submitted its accounts details after expiry of final date for submission of details.

Any such political party which has failed to submit party account statements within due time will not be allowed to contest any future election and these political parties will not be issued party symbol by the ECP, he added.

The election supervisory body, the  official said, has received statements from political parties included Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamiat-e-Ulema Pakistan (Fazl), Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Awami National Party, Pak Sarzameen Party, Pakistan Women Muslim League, Pakistan Gharib Party, Pakistan Jamat Ahle-Hadith Pakistan (Ropri), Tehreek-e-Tahafuze Pakistan, Jamhoori Watan Party, Move on  Pakistan, Hazara Democratic Party, Sindh United Party, Pakistan Muslim League Pakistan People's Party Workers, Pakistan Muhammadi Party, Pakistan Social Justice Party, Pakistan Supreme Democratic Party, Islami Tehreek Pakistan, Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto), Pakistan Reh-e-Haq, Pakistan Awami Muslim League, Pakistan Peoples Front, National Party, Awami League, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaniat Allah-O-Akbar Tehreek and Mustaqbil Pakistan.



He also said the final date for submission of political parties' statement of accounts for financial year 2016-17 with the ECP expired on August 29.

According to the official, in terms of Article 14 of the Political Party Order, 2002, a party, which failed to submit its statement of accounts under Article 13, would not be eligible to obtain election symbol for contesting elections for the Parliament and provincial assemblies.

Under Article 13 of the Political Parties Order, 2002 every political party is to submit to the Commission within 60 days from the close of each financial year, a consolidated statement of its bank accounts on Form-I duly audited by a Chartered Accountant.

The statement of accounts of the party is required to be accompanied by a certificate signed by the party leader stating that no funds from any source prohibited under Political Parties Order,2002, were received by the party and that the statement contains an accurate financial position of the party.