PTI foreign funding case: ECP Scrutiny Committee to resume hearing from 12th

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan’s Scrutiny Committee will resume its proceedings on PTI foreign funding from August 12, whereas the Election Commission had asked the committee to submit its findings by end-May 2021.

Through a notice, a copy of which is available with this correspondent, the committee has directed the petitioner, Akbar S Babar, and the defendants to appear before it on August 12 at 2:00pm here at the Election Commission Secretariat. The notice after a gap of two months when the perusal of PTI bank accounts and related documents was concluded is quite surprising and raises some questions which include: has the ECP revised its order of April 14, 2021 or the committee has the mandate to continue as long as it finds it necessary.

Needless to say that the ECP in its order of April 14, 2021 had clearly ordered the Scrutiny Committee to submit its detailed findings by the end of May 2021 to the ECP: The foreign funding case, challenging PTI foreign funds transparency, was filed by Babar in November 2014. As per its order, the petitioner was allowed perusal of two financial experts of documents submitted by the PTI. The original 28 PTI bank statements requisitioned through the State Bank of Pakistan were kept secret.

On his part, the petitioner duly submitted its report to the Election Commission, ‘revealing’ Rs 2.2 billion illegal funding. He had also shared the details with media persons here at a news conference. Babar while submitting the perusal had stated in writing that now the Scrutiny Committee had become redundant and the case should be heard by the ECP.

However, now after two months of lull, once again the Scrutiny Committee has come to life for what purpose. Any further functioning of the committee will be in total violation of the Election Commission order.