PTI asks ECP for 15 more days to submit account details

Party's finance manager Muhammad Arshad requests extension in letter addressed to ECP Secretary

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday for 15 more days to submit a consolidated statement of accounts.

“The audit of account through a reputed firm of charted accountants is in process and the external auditor has requested an extension to complete quality control review and comprehensive audit procedures for audit of accounts of the party for the year ending June 30, 2015,” read a letter addressed to Secretary ECP.

"In view of above, you are, therefore, requested to please grant extension in time of at least 15 days for submission of annual return of accounts audited by external auditor of the party,” said PTI’s finance manager Muhammad Arshad in the letter.

It is mandatory for political parties to submit details of their accounts under the Political Parties Order 2002.

Read: ECP orders political parties to submit asset details

On August 28, the ECP issued a reminder to parties over the last date for filing statement of accounts (August 29, 2015) along with a warning that “parties which have not submitted its statement of accounts will not be eligible to obtain election symbol for contesting elections for Majils-e-Shoora (Parliament) and Provincial Assemblies.”

PTI’s founding member and former central information secretary Akbar S Babar had filed a petition with the ECP in November 2014, alleging financial corruption and illegal handling of PTI funds.

The commission had asked the party to submit details of its funding sources but PTI has not complied with the orders so far.