ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday directed the PTI financial advisor to complete arguments on party’s bank accounts till next date of hearing.
PTI financial expert presented his arguments in Pakistan Tehreek - e Insaf (PTI) foreign funding case before the ECP’s three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and Nisar Ahmed Durrani. A PTI financial expert Najam Shah presented a comparison of bank accounts of the party from 2008 to 2011 before the Election Commission, adding that according to scrutiny committee report PTI had received funds of more than Rs9.38 million from 2010 to 2011.
He contended that State Bank of Pakistan had pointed out 15 accounts of PTI from 2010 to 2011. However, during 2010-2011 the PTI had 5 central audited accounts.
He told the ECP that 7 accounts shown by SBP had no relation with the party although the scrutiny committee had scrutinised only 2 accounts of PTI central committee. The Party has submitted audit reports of three banks of the central accounts, he said, adding that no money was deposited in 2 bank accounts of the Party. CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja said that there was a difference between bank records of PTI and the records of State Bank, and asked the PTI financial expert to explain to him why there was a difference in records”.
According to SBP, the PTI did not show some accounts to scrutiny committee, to this Najam Shah replied that the PTI had closed some accounts after use.
He said that the committee made part of its record of unused bank accounts of the party, adding that some cheques were bounced but the committee had made it part of funding.
The ECP member Nisar Durrani asked the PTI financial advisor that if the cheques were bounced, how it could come in credit. PTI lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan said that from 2008 till 2009 the scrutiny committee had made part of its record 7 accounts of the PTI, adding that the record of the two bank accounts has been received from SBP and details of each bank will be explained separately to the commission.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters outside the ECP office, petitioner Akbar S Babar claimed that there was documentary evidence that refutes PTI’s claim that the eleven accounts it disowned were opened and operated without knowledge of the PTI Finance Department.
Akbar S Babar said if the 11 accounts were opened and operated by top PTI leadership illegally, why there had been no action against them?
However, the documents, copies of which are available with this correspondent show that not only did the PTI Central Finance Board managed two of these accounts, but the PTI Central Finance Secretary of the time in 2012, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, communicated with the managers of the PTI accounts intimating them about operating instructions of the PTI Central Finance Board.
The CEC allowed adjournment until June 1.
Akbar S Babar lamented the delay and termed it a continuing process over the last eight years, adding that historic delay in the foreign funding case is due to undue pandering of the accused by Constitutional bodies.
Babar said that Imran Khan continues to challenge ECP, CEC, and other Constitutional bodies drawing no notice. Why? Babar said Imran Khan’s strategy of choking Islamabad is primarily to create chaos and anarchy so that he can escape the verdict in the foreign funding case.
He said that history says “the more you pander to fascists, the more they demand until such time as there is nothing more to offer’’. He added that Pakistan must decide between fascism and democracy.
The battle has to be fought now before the unending political chaos brings total economic collapse, he said.
PTI financial expert presented his arguments in Pakistan Tehreek - e Insaf (PTI) foreign funding case before the ECP’s three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and Nisar Ahmed Durrani. A PTI financial expert Najam Shah presented a comparison of bank accounts of the party from 2008 to 2011 before the Election Commission, adding that according to scrutiny committee report PTI had received funds of more than Rs9.38 million from 2010 to 2011.
He contended that State Bank of Pakistan had pointed out 15 accounts of PTI from 2010 to 2011. However, during 2010-2011 the PTI had 5 central audited accounts.
He told the ECP that 7 accounts shown by SBP had no relation with the party although the scrutiny committee had scrutinised only 2 accounts of PTI central committee. The Party has submitted audit reports of three banks of the central accounts, he said, adding that no money was deposited in 2 bank accounts of the Party. CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja said that there was a difference between bank records of PTI and the records of State Bank, and asked the PTI financial expert to explain to him why there was a difference in records”.
According to SBP, the PTI did not show some accounts to scrutiny committee, to this Najam Shah replied that the PTI had closed some accounts after use.
He said that the committee made part of its record of unused bank accounts of the party, adding that some cheques were bounced but the committee had made it part of funding.
The ECP member Nisar Durrani asked the PTI financial advisor that if the cheques were bounced, how it could come in credit. PTI lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan said that from 2008 till 2009 the scrutiny committee had made part of its record 7 accounts of the PTI, adding that the record of the two bank accounts has been received from SBP and details of each bank will be explained separately to the commission.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters outside the ECP office, petitioner Akbar S Babar claimed that there was documentary evidence that refutes PTI’s claim that the eleven accounts it disowned were opened and operated without knowledge of the PTI Finance Department.
Akbar S Babar said if the 11 accounts were opened and operated by top PTI leadership illegally, why there had been no action against them?
However, the documents, copies of which are available with this correspondent show that not only did the PTI Central Finance Board managed two of these accounts, but the PTI Central Finance Secretary of the time in 2012, Sardar Azhar Tariq Khan, communicated with the managers of the PTI accounts intimating them about operating instructions of the PTI Central Finance Board.
The CEC allowed adjournment until June 1.
Akbar S Babar lamented the delay and termed it a continuing process over the last eight years, adding that historic delay in the foreign funding case is due to undue pandering of the accused by Constitutional bodies.
Babar said that Imran Khan continues to challenge ECP, CEC, and other Constitutional bodies drawing no notice. Why? Babar said Imran Khan’s strategy of choking Islamabad is primarily to create chaos and anarchy so that he can escape the verdict in the foreign funding case.
He said that history says “the more you pander to fascists, the more they demand until such time as there is nothing more to offer’’. He added that Pakistan must decide between fascism and democracy.
The battle has to be fought now before the unending political chaos brings total economic collapse, he said.
