ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has given reasons for the delay in deciding the foreign funding case against PTI.
According to details, the Election Commission of Pakistan yesterday said that we are committed to fulfilling our responsibilities without any pressure. The institution is fully aware of its legal and constitutional responsibilities.
Explaining the reasons for the delay in deciding the foreign funding case, the ECP said that the agency was facing various difficulties during the global outbreak of coronavirus. Meanwhile, the absence of lawyers also led to a delay in the decision of the foreign funding case.
The Election Commission has directed the scrutiny committee set up in the foreign funding case to meet at least three days a week. The ECP said that the decision of the case was also delayed due to the retirement of a scrutiny member.
The foreign funding case is determined to be decided soon. It may be recalled that earlier in the party funding case against PTI, with the slogan of delay and disapproval, the PDM alliance staged a rally in front of the Election Commission in Islamabad, convoys from different cities arrived and security was beefed up.
The case was taken to the Election Commission in 2014 by Akbar S. Babar, one of the founding members of the PTI. The petitioner alleges that PTI received funds not only from Pakistanis abroad but also from foreigners, which is not allowed by Pakistani law.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that it did not receive funds from prohibited sources and documents of the funds received are available. The PTI has filed six petitions in the Islamabad High Court, arguing that the ECP does not have the power to scrutinize any party’s accounts.
The present ruling party also obtained a restraining order from the jurisdiction of the scrutiny committee set up by the Election Commission to look into the matter and to stop it from functioning.
