PTI foreign funding case: ECP scrutiny panel makes no progress

ISLAMABAD: The ECP Scrutiny Committee formed to investigate the alleged PTI foreign funding met for the record 51st time in the Election Commission of Pakistan Secretariat Monday with little progress to its credit.

The committee was formed in March 2018 to complete scrutiny of PTI accounts in one month. However, after almost two years, there is a little tangible progress to show while the case in the Election Commission was filed in November 2014 by erstwhile close aide of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Akbar S Babar, who had alleged irregularities in foreign funding of the party.

ECP sources privy to the meeting said that the Scrutiny Committee had yet to scrutinise the 23 PTI bank accounts, revealed on the State Bank of Pakistan instructions that were apparently (mostly) concealed from the ECP. The committee continues to keep the bank statements secret, perhaps fearing PTI may raise objections to sharing the same with the petitioner or making them public.

It was learnt the PTI had challenged the contents of its Special Audit Report. The Special Audit was authorised on the instructions of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in March 2013. The special audit report had validated the allegations of major financial irregularities including receiving donations in private bank accounts of PTI employees.

However, the committee has yet to approach the Lahore based auditor to verify the Special Audit Report as the PTI has accused the auditor of going beyond his mandate.