Foreign funding case: SBP submits details of 23 accounts to ECP

ISLAMABAD: The State bank of Pakistan submitted the details of 23 accounts to the scrutiny committee under the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday in relation to the foreign funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

A three-member bench of the ECP examined the proceedings of the special committee constituted for the scrutiny of foreign funding.

The commission headed by Chief Election Commission (CEC) Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan heard the arguments on various applications submitted by the PTI to the scrutiny committee with request to take notice of its concerns.

PTI counsel Saqlain Haider advocate informed the commission that the scrutiny parameters were not observed by the committee as per Supreme Court judgment.

He said that without any confirmation, wrong information was circulated in media about 23 accounts, adding that all such things politically damaged the position of the party.

He informed the bench that all required information about the accounts had been submitted to the committee.

The PTI counsel appealed that the court may take notice of the leakages of information to the media.

He said that PTI had submitted all details to the scrutiny committee but it violated its mandate and made direct contacts with the banks to get information.

He said that during committee’s proceedings, Akbar S Babar with malafide intention tried to defame the party through media while sharing wrong information about party funding.

The PTI counsel said when the case was in the committee, media hype was created against PTI regarding foreign funding case.

There was issue of leakages of information on the basis of documents submitted to the scrutiny committee, he informed.

The advocate further said that several programmes were telecast on media on PTI foreign funding.

Counsel of complainant Akbar S Babar, Ahmad Hassan advocate denied any involvement on wrong sharing of information.

He clarified that they always talked on facts rather taking matters personally.

The ECP reserved its judgement on four petitions by the PTI related to the issue of foreign funding and adjourned the hearing until Oct 10.