The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reserved the verdict on PTI prohibited funding case which would be announced later. Previously, the case was referred to as PTI foreign funding case. It has now been concluded after seven years of trial.
According to details, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja conducted a hearing on the case at the ECP office in Islamabad. The verdict was reserved after the completion of a briefing by the financial expert brought by whistleblower and PTI founding member Akbar S Babar.
The case began in 2014 when the party’s founding member, Akbar S Babar, filed it. In 2019, the scrutiny committee was formed to audit foreign funding received by the PTI. On January 4, an ECP scrutiny committee report probing the party’s funds revealed that the ruling PTI party had received Rs1.64 billion in funding. According to the report, PTI hid funds worth Rs310 million from the ECP.
Read more: Foreign funding case: Will PTI be banned?
During the hearing, CEC Raja remarked that the case against the PTI had concluded, adding that the electoral watchdog also wanted to conclude the cases against other political parties. He went on to say that the ECP wanted to restore voter confidence and strengthen the country democratically.
“We will ensure that no one is discriminated against,” he said.
Election Commission of Pakistan reserves the verdict on forbidden funding case against PTI. The case was previously known as foreign funding case.
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) June 21, 2022
Last week, CEC Raja had directed the ECP staff to list the foreign funding case against the PTI as “prohibited funding” from now onwards after accepting the party’s stance on the matter.
PTI’s reaction
Reacting to the development, Ex-Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Farrukh Habib claimed that the party had provided complete details and records regarding its financial transactions. He also urged the ECP to investigate other political parties.
“PPP and PML-N should also be asked to hand in their scrutiny committee reports so that an urgent decision could be announced in the same way,” Farrukh Habib said.
Read more: Foreign Funding Case: Is PTI out of troubled waters?
"ہم نے اس معاملے میں تمام ریکارڈ فراہم کر دیا ہے، اب دیگر سیاسی جماعتوں سے بھی تفتیش ہونی چاہیے" @FarrukhHabibISF#این_آر_او_کی_قیمت pic.twitter.com/WOStm6C9X7
— PTI South Punjab (@PTISPOfficial) June 21, 2022