A file photo of Imran Khan. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected all the accusations of financial irregularities in the party fund, saying its accounts are audited by A-rated auditors. However, the party has no answer to fulfilling its tall claim of making assets details of leadership public.
It was in 2012 when key leaders of the party declared their assets, uploaded on the party’s official website in line with economic policy. The website shows assets details of some 26 leaders including chairman Imran Khan (www.insaf.pk/about-us/leadership-assets).
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The PTI claims to be the first one to have publicised assets details of its leadership but it seems the declaration of assets by leadership was a one-time exercise as the statements were never updated and the website still shows details of 2012-13.
On Sunday, PTI secretary finance Sardar Azhar Tariq responded to the allegations about financial management system and when asked as to why the declarations were never updated after 2012, he said: “I will take up this matter with the leadership.”
However, he said that all the leaders who are in parliament submit statements of their assets and liabilities to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) every year.
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Responding to a question about case filed by party’s former founding member Akbar S Babar with the ECP about foreign funding and misappropriations, Tariq said, “We have nothing to hide.”
Babar had filed a case alleging illegal foreign funding and corruption against the party in November 2014. The party has previously questioned the poll body’s jurisdiction to look into its financial matters and the ECP ruled that it had every right to examine these matters.
On November 10, the ECP bench hearing the case had asked the party to produce documents as challenged by the petitioner on December 3, the next date of hearing.
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However, sources told The Express Tribune that the party is now mulling over the option of challenging locus standi of Babar to file such case.
While commenting on recent media reports about the party’s financial management system, Tariq said that PTI’s financial accounts are regularly audited by A-rated auditors.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2015.
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