‘Unable to find PML-N, PPP funding records’

Scrutiny committee head tells ECP panel facing difficulty

ISLAMABAD:

The head of scrutiny committee on Monday informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that the panel faced difficulties in finding the record of the PML-N and the PPP in the funding case and did not present a report on the matter.

The election supervisor heard PTI leader Farrukh Habib’s plea regarding the scrutiny of the PML-N and PPP funding case. The head of the scrutiny committee appeared before the ECP and said that they faced difficulties for not being able to find the record of funding of both parties.

He said the PML-N and PPP had received funds and membership fees in different accounts, adding that further verification and clarification of the PML-N accounts were required.

The chief election commissioner remarked that the matter was getting delayed, adding that the ECP wanted to conclude the funding case. He asked the scrutiny head to submit an interim report and said the ECP would order the completion of scrutiny within a specified time after its receipt.

Commenting on the hearing case, Habib said the funding case of the PML-N and the PPP continued since 2017 but regretted that the scrutiny committee’s head was saying that the record of both parties could not be found. He urged the ECP to announce its verdict on the case at the earliest.

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On August 2, the ECP finally announced the long-awaited verdict in the prohibited funding case (formerly known as foreign funding case), issuing PTI a show-cause notice for explaining its position over receiving prohibited funds.

“Hence, the commission directs that a notice may be issued to the respondent party in terms of Rule 6 of PPR (Political Parties Rules) 2002 as to why the aforementioned prohibited funds may not be confiscated. The office is also directed to initiate any other action under the law, in the light of this order of the commission, including forwarding the case to the federal government,” the ECP stated in its 70-page order.

However, the commission came under massive criticism from the PTI and the public over alleged discrepancies in the verdict. Scores of overseas Pakistanis appeared on electronic and social media to lambaste the electoral body for naming them as foreign donors.

The ECP’s order also contained details of funds received by the PTI from some 34 foreign nationals and 351 foreign-based companies but the funding record provided by ECP in the verdict was strongly disputed by the overseas Pakistanis with several companies that were shown as foreign donor entities were found to be belonging to overseas Pakistanis.