Habib hopes PTI will get access to PPP, PML-N accounts

ECP reserves decision till October 11

ISLAMABAD:

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib expressed hope that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would also get access to PML-N and PPP accounts like Akbar S Babar was given to PTI accounts.

Habib’s reaction came after Wednesday’s hearing of the foreign funding case.

A two-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday reserved its decision on the alleged foreign funding case related to PML-N and PPP till October 11. The decision was reserved after applicant Habib’s lawyer had asked for two days to check the record.

PPP, PML-N respondents told the bench that the applicant wasn’t able to provide any proof related to foreign funding and the scrutiny committee should also ask the latter to give proof of the claim.

ECP member Nisar Durrani said: “We had also given access to Akbar S Babar to PTI’s accounts.”

Talking to reporters outside the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday, the state minister said that the foreign funding case was in the scrutiny committee for the past five years but PML-N and PPP were refraining from presenting their records. He said that like disqualified Nawaz Sharif the PML-N should present a “fake Qatari letter” in this case also.

Read PTI’s foreign funding case nears conclusion

According to the State Bank of Pakistan, he added that 19 such accounts of PML-N and PPP came to light that was not mentioned in the statements. Nawaz and Zardari, he alleged, had made billions of rupees fake transactions in the names of ‘Papar Walas and Falooda Walas’.

He claimed that the PTI submitted some 40,000 donors’ names and 16 volumes about its foreign funding. Over the last five years, Habib added PML-N and PPP have not been able to submit even 16 pages related to their accounts.

Taking a jibe at the opposition, he said he was happy to know that the opposition parties remembered the ECP on Wednesday’s hearing. He hoped that such two parties would appear in the foreign funding case also.

The minister alleged that the “stamp mafia” has been opposing electronic voting machines (EVMs) to continue rigging elections in future as well.

“The ECP is respected as a Constitutional institution and according to Article 218 of the Election Act clean and transparent elections are also the responsibility of commission,” Habib said.

He claimed that despite being in power for several decades PML-N and PPP did nothing to reform the electoral system.

The incumbent government, he said was bringing electoral reforms in the country to ensure “free and fair” elections but the opposition was showing “obstinacy” and rejected EVMs without observing the demonstration.

Read more Petition filed against EVMs in Islamabad High Court

The first technical meeting of the Election Commission on EVM was held on September 8 and the second on September 15 but objections were raised before those meetings, he said, adding that the objections raised by the ECP were also present in the current system and 27 objections were related to the capacity.

The minister was of the view that if ECP was to issue notices, then it should also call for transcripts of speeches of all opposition leaders – including Maryam Safdar and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

To date, he alleged that the opposition had done nothing except making hue and cry over proposed electoral reforms. “Overseas Pakistanis have the right to vote under Article 94 of the Election Act but no steps have been taken by the election commission to fulfil its responsibility,” Habib said.

About the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority, he said it was not person-specific and it was meant for media development in the country. “There is a difference between misinformation and disinformation, it is possible to clarify or explain misinformation, but disinformation could harm national integrity,” he added.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)