PTI’s foreign funding case: ECP body discusses evidence on two limited Cos

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan’s Scrutiny Committee with regards to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s foreign funding case met for the 44th time on Thursday and adjourned the proceedings until December 2.The ECP had earlier directed the Scrutiny Committee to complete fact finding of the foreign funding case ‘as soon as possible’ and hear the case on a daily basis. As a consequence of the ECP directive, the Committee met on November 26 but adjourned for November 28. Opposition parties have urged for early wrapping up of the case soon.Again, instead of hearing on a daily basis to complete fact finding and enable ECP to make a final determination of the case before the retirement of the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Sardar Muhammad Raza on December 6, 2019, the committee once again adjourned until December 2, 2019.Sources in the Election Commission said the petitioner and PTI founding member Akbar S Babar’s lawyer Syed Ahmed Hassan Shah and Badar Iqbal Chaudhry presented the evidence that had been before the ECP since November 2014 about alleged PTI funding from illegal and prohibited sources.The evidence presented before the committee on Thursday was limited to the two limited liability companies registered in the US by PTI with the signatures of PTI Chairman and now also Prime Minister Imran Khan. The committee was briefed about the entire scope of violations of the Constitution and the relevant laws with regard to funding of political parties. The petitioner’s lawyer is expected to continue presentation of evidence on the next hearing scheduled for December 02.When contacted, the petitioner declined to share details of the committee meeting and he limited his comments to the long continuing funding case and expressed hope that it would conclude soon, as be believed, the entire nation’s eyes are focused on the case.He explained all those hoping or attempting to delay the case one way or another were doing a great ‘disservice to the country.’He said the October 10, 2019 verdict of the ECP holding PTI responsible for ‘worst historical example of abuse of the process of law’ for delaying the case would create political upheaval and force the head of the party to resign in any established democracy. “Not in Pakistan where democracy exists mostly in form but not in substance and where the accused ruling party and its leadership are allowed to abuse the law to avoid accountability,” he noted.

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/35Ni8nb