ISLAMABAD: The Scrutiny of PTI accounts in foreign funding case continued on Monday. This was the 45th meeting of the Committee formed in March 2018 to complete scrutiny in one whose mandate was subsequently extended indefinitely.
Source within ECP inform TNT that on Monday, the Lawyers Syed Ahmad Hassan Shan and Badar Iqbal Chaudhary on behalf of the Petitioner and PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar once again presented the evidence in foreign funding case pending before the ECP since November 2014.
The evidence included almost three million U.S. dollars transmitted from the USA through two Companies 5975 and 6160 U.S. registered under the signatures of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Other evidence included funds transferred from PTI UK through two Lloyds Bank Accounts maintained in Britain not disclosed before ECP. More evidence included alleged illegal Funding from Denmark and the Middle East.
The Committee was expected to complete scrutiny on a daily basis and submit its findings before the ECP to conclude the PTI Foreign Funding Case before the incumbent CEC Justice (Retd.)
Sardar Mohammad Raza retires on December 6, 2019. However, this seems highly unlikely as the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for December 4 when the PTI is once again expected to respond to the petitioner’s allegations.
This is fourth time that the allegations are being responded, twice before the ECP and the second time before the ECP Scrutiny Committee. The PTI responses to these allegations before the committee was considered inadequate earlier when they were asked submit financial documents based on a ten point list.
It was on PTI’s failure to provide the documents that the ECP wrote to the State Bank of Pakistan to facilitate providing all PTI bank accounts through the scheduled banks of Pakistan. As a consequence, 23 bank accounts of PTI were revealed whereas only 8 were declared before the ECP.
Sources reveal that the petitioner’s repeated requests for sharing of 23 PTI bank statements continue to be denied by the Committee despite ECP October 10 Order that categorically states that the petitioner cannot be excluded from participation in the scrutiny of the 23 PTI Bank Accounts revealed under instructions of the State Bank of Pakistan.
When contacted, the petitioner and PTI founding member Akbar S. Babar refused to share details of the Committee proceedings. He said, the case merits an open trial as it is the right of the people to know all the facts and to ensure full, open, and transparent inquiry.
He said his team of lawyers has already prepared a legal strategy to proceed with the case even if the ECP becomes dysfunctional and is unable to hear the case after the incumbent CEC retires.(With additional input from INP)
