Pak Election Commission sets new precedent, walks out of its own meeting over credibility issue
Jan 21, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], January 21 : Setting a new low, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) scrutiny committee which is auditing Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) accounts related to foreign fundings on Wednesday walked out of its own meeting after questions were raised over the credibility of the scrutiny process, reported Dawn.
ECP scrutiny committee has been accused earlier of being lenient on Khan and PTI by Pak opposition.
The foreign funding case against PTI was filed in November 2014 by Akbar S Babar, a founding member of the party. He had levelled serious financial irregularities in PTI's accounts.
Six years have passed since the case was filed. However, it is yet to reach a conclusion.
The 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had earlier gathered outside ECP on Tuesday demanding a decision on the case.
A PDM delegation, which called on the CEC, handed a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Wednesday calling for an expeditious ruling in the case, reported Dawn.
PDM leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maryam Nawaz had earlier termed the case as 'biggest scandal in the country's political history'.
"PTI not only obtained funds from prohibited sources, including foreign citizens and lobbies but also indulged in money laundering. The PTI also flouted the US law," said Ahsan Iqbal, Secretary-General of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
"PTI had now confessed to wrongdoing but put the blame on its agents. He said under the contract law of Pakistan, the principal was responsible for the acts of the agents," he added.
While, PDM Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf observed that the delay of six years in taking the case to its logical conclusion put a question mark on the entire system, noting that it was weakening democracy.
Moreover, PTI has been delaying the case by constantly filing requests.
Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Wednesday assured PDM that the foreign funding case against the PTI would be decided on merit, reported Dawn.
