ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed the political parties on Thursday to submit their statements of audited accounts by August 29, 2012.

The ECP reminded the political parties that submission of statement of audited accounts within 60 days from the close of each financial year mandatory under Article 13 of Political Parties Order 2002.

It said the statement of accounts, duly audited by Chartered Accountant, must accompany the certificate signed by the party leader stating that no funds from any source prohibited under the Political Parties Order 2002 were received by the party and that the statement contains an accurate financial position of the party.

The prescribed forms could be obtained free of cost from the ECP secretariat and provincial Election Commission offices.

The ECP said in case any political party fails to submit the duly audited accounts, it will not be eligible to obtain symbol for contesting the elections for parliament and provincial assembly.

Earlier on July 16, the ECP had summoned the annual financial statements from the parliamentarians and the members of the provincial assemblies by Sep 30, 2012.

The ECP had asked the senators, MNAs and MPAs to submit their annual financial details and also the details of their families.

The details would include lawmakers’ annual income, their source of income and the details of their debts.

The details would be made public on October 15 in the form of official gazette.