ECP seeks timeframe from PTI lawyers for completing arguments in funding case
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The Election Commission of Pakistan has ordered the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to complete its arguments as soon as possible while demanding a timeframe for the completion of arguments, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
During the foreign funding case hearing at the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday, financial expert Najam Shah gave a briefing on the PTI transactions.
A three-member commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case.
The commission expressed its displeasure over the late arrival of the PTI financial expert at the commission.
Besides PTI lawyer Anwar Maqsood and PTI financial expert Najam Shah, petitioner Akbar S Babar also appeared before the court.
The PTI financial expert told the commission that the PTI had nothing to do with seven accounts as mentioned by the State Bank of Pakistan. He said main transactions were occurred in only five bank accounts, the audit for which had already been done.
He said in many accounts no transaction had been done. The party came to know about these accounts later on and then the party closed these accounts, he added.
On this, the chief election commissioner remarked that by his explanation it appeared that the PTI had confessed to its mismanagement in the foreign funding affair.
Najam Shah, however, pointed out that the scrutiny committee in its report showed transactions of one amount several times and also did the overstatement amounting to millions of rupees.
“Because of the wrong calculation of the scrutiny committee in 2012-13, extra amount of Rs140.64 million was added to the transactions.
The PTI lawyer requested the court to adjourn the case. But Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja rejected his plea saying the case had already been facing delay and the commission would not permit any further postponement.
The CEC said that an impression was being created that the case was deliberately put on hold asking the PTI lawyer to tell the court about party’s financial transactions by tomorrow.
Contesting the haste being shown by the CEC, PTI lawyer Anwar Mansoor said that the party’s reputation was put at stake internationally because of the case.
After this, the commission adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.
Reporter Usman Khan