ISLAMABAD: The foreign funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday took a new turn when the first meeting of the three-member committee formed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to scrutinise the party accounts could not be held as two ECP nominated members refused to participate in its deliberations.

The head of the committee and director general law informed the petitioner, Akbar Babar, and his counsel Badar Iqbal Chaudhry as well as the representatives of the PTI that he had sought fresh instructions from the ECP on how to proceed in the matter.

While deliberating on the process to be followed to scrutinise PTI accounts, the DG law said as per the orders of the ECP passed on March 12, a representative from each side would be present during the scrutiny of the PTI accounts. He said the formation of a fresh ECP scrutiny committee would be decided in the next hearing of the case scheduled for March 27.

The latest development has further delayed the foreign funding case first filed in November 2014 by PTI dissident and founding member Akbar Babar alleging serious corruption and violation of relevant laws in managing party funds.

The case has been in limbo for months on one pretext or another as the PTI had repeatedly challenged the jurisdiction of the ECP to scrutinise its accounts and the locus standi of Mr Babar.

Two members refuse to take part in ECP committee’s deliberations

Talking to the media after the meeting, Mr Babar said the matter needed urgent attention and the ECP committee should meet as early as possible to start scrutiny of the PTI accounts. He claimed that there was overwhelming evidence of gross violation of laws in handling accounts, including registration of the PTI in foreign countries, money received through ‘Hundi’ and deposited in the personal bank accounts of PTI employees as well as party’s bank accounts concealed from the ECP.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2018