ECP dismisses PTI petitions

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday dismissed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeals challenging the terms of reference (ToR) of the scrutiny committee tasked to probe its foreign funding accounts and demanding in-camera proceedings of the committee without the petitioner Akbar S Babar, the disgruntled leader of the party, being present.

The full bench headed by Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza directed the scrutiny committee formed on March 12 to complete its mandate of scrutinising PTI foreign funding under the original ToR without any changes as demanded by PTI.

The ECP scrutiny committee was mandated to complete scrutiny of PTI foreign funding in one month commencing from April 3. However, the committee’s work was stalled as PTI refused to submit requisitioned financial statements under the excuse that it has objections to the ToR of the committee and wanted the inquiry to be held in secrecy and without the presence of the petitioner.

On Monday, a full bench of the ECP headed by Justice (retd) Sardar Mohammad Raza, CEC and four other members of the election commission heard detailed arguments of the two counsels and its reserved judgment for Wednesday. Babar Awan represented PTI while the petitioner was represented by Syed Ahmad Hassan Shah.