ISLAMABAD, Sept 13: The Election Commission (EC) issued show cause notices to eight political parties on Friday for failing to submit their accounts and directed them to appear before it on Sept 16.

In a press release issued with a footnote that it should be treated as “notice duly issued and served,” the EC said whether the election symbol allotted to these parties should not be withdrawn for their failure to comply with the requirement of Article 13 of Political Parties Order.

It recalled that all the political parties were required under the said article to submit to the EC, within 60 days from the close of financial year, a consolidated statement of accounts of the party in the prescribed form audited by a chartered accountant.

It noted that some of the parties had failed to submit their statements of account by due date of Aug 29 which was later extended till Sept 12.

However, eight political parties — Jamote Qaumi Movement, Kakar Jamhoori Party of Pakistan, National Workers Party, Pakistan Awami Quwwat Party, Pakistan Brohi Party, Pakistan Jamhoori Amn Party, Pakistan Progressive Party and Tehreek-i-Wafaq Pakistan — failed to submit their accounts even after expiry of the extended date.