Foreign funding case: ECP accused of hiding PTI bank accounts

• ECP accused of keeping PTI bank accounts hidden.
• In fresh application, petitioner Akbar S Babar demands three more days from May 24 to 26 for review of original PTI bank statements. The review process ends today (Thursday).
• If the petitioner can peruse PTI documents in 40 hours, why did it take over three years for the [ECP] scrutiny committee, Babar questions.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan’s scrutiny committee has been accused of keeping original PTI bank account statements hidden from review in the PTI foreign funding case.

The accusation came on Wednesday when the scrutiny of PTI accounts was supposed to conclude. It was extended by three hours for Thursday to complete 40 hours of scrutiny allowed by the ECP in its April 14 order.

Petitioner Akbar S Babar filed another application for scrutiny of the original PTI bank statements. He alleged they are being kept secret by the ECP, sources were quoted as saying by The News. 

Read more: ECP issues notices to PTI, scrutiny committee in foreign funding case

He asked for three more days for review of the original documents, arguing that one original PTI bank statement has been allowed for scrutiny, including the 23 PTI bank statements requisitioned by the State Bank of Pakistan.

In October 2018, it was learnt that a member of the original ECP scrutiny committee had demanded answers from the PTI on millions of dollars received in its accounts. Instead of providing answers, ironically, the auditor was removed from the committee.

In the fresh application, the petitioner has demanded three more days from May 24 to 26 for review of the original PTI bank statements. The review process ends today (Thursday).

The ECP, however, has yet to decide on Babar's application seeking review of the original PTI bank statements.

'Facts cannot be hidden for long'

Facts cannot be hidden for long, Babar told the media after the conclusion of the day's proceedings.

Read more: Foreign funding case: Agents responsible if funds collected illegally, PTI tells ECP

He insisted that it was the ECP scrutiny committee’s mandate to reveal the facts. 

“Instead, it chose to hide the facts. If the petitioner can peruse PTI documents in 40 hours, why did it take over three years for the scrutiny committee?" he asked, saying that political parties are nurseries of leadership.