ISLAMABAD - Opposition parties on Tuesday demanded of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to hear the for­eign funding case against the ruling party on daily ba­sis.

The leaders of the opposition parties in their meet­ing with the CEC requested him to hear the PTI for­eign funding case on day to day basis.

They also demanded of the CEC to summon a con­ference of joint opposition in order to discuss the loopholes in electoral process and let the commission know about the shortcomings took place in the 2018 general elections.

The leaders of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir and Rana Sanaullah, PPP Farhatullah Baber, and JUI-F’s Sala­huddin Ayubi were present in the meeting.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in No­vember had also accepted opposition parties’ demand for day-to-day hearing of the PTI foreign funding case.

While talking to media here, the opposition leaders said that they wanted the body search of those who were asking for the body search of others; adding that those who want others to be held accountable are not even ready to give their details of funds received from abroad.

They further claimed that there were some reports that the ruling party had been receiving funds from the anti-Pakistan forces that’s why they feared ac­countability and were not ready for accountability.

The decision came after opposition’s Rehbar Com­mittee had submitted an application, asking the ECP to decide the case before expiry of the chief election commissioner’s term next month.

In this regard, the commission had asked the com­mittee to carry out scrutiny in the foreign funding case on daily basis. Speaking to the media outside the ECP office, Rahbar Committee head Akram Durrani said even after five years the investigation against PTI was not complete. He claimed that the delay in the hearing of the case was harmful to the nation.

On the other hand, the main petitioner in the foreign funding case, Akbar S Baber, hinted to raise the case in court as he termed the Scrutiny Committee helpless in resolving the foreign funding case on merit.

It is pertinent to mention that the Committee has held over 50 meetings to scrutinise the data provid­ed by the ruling party, however, the committee is un­able to provide the facts and figures of the case to the Commission for further proceedings.

Earlier, during the meeting, the CEC on the occa­sion assured the opposition leaders of conducting the next elections free and fair and without any exter­nal pressure next time. CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja also informed the opposition leaders that he has direct­ed that everyone can meet him without any appoint­ment for meeting on daily basis from 9 AM to 10 AM.

Sikandar Sultan Raja further told the opposition leaders that there were briefings on several issues in the ECP and as the briefing completed then the com­mission will officially request all the political parties for a meeting for the purpose to take some sugges­tions from the political parties over the conduction of free and fair elections next time.

Following the reservations of opposition parties over the sluggish progress in foreign funding case against the ruling party; the CEC said that the commission will announce the verdict with no delay once the scrutiny committee provides its final report to the commission.