Pakistan Election Commission report conceals crucial documents of Imran Khan's party over foreign funding: Report
Jan 11, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], January 11 : The report of the Election Commission of Pakistan's scrutiny committee has concealed crucial documents of Prime Minister Imran Khan's party over the foreign funding issue, a media report said.
The documents concealed by the committee include all original 28 bank statements and year-wise details of foreign funds transferred to the PTI's accounts between 2009-13, reported Dawn.
These crucial pieces of evidence have been kept confidential as per the committee's own desires expressed on page 83 of its report that states that "the Committee is of the considered opinion that the portions of the Report which have been prepared on the basis of (PTI) Bank Statements obtained through State Bank of Pakistan may be kept confidential and classified and may not be released in the public domain", said the Pakistani publication.
With the review of the report, it has been revealed that it is stated in its enclosures section that "Documents Requisitioned by the Commission through State Bank of Pakistan-Bank Statements (Book 1 to 8)" have been kept secret and are not part of the report shared with the petitioner, Akbar S Babar, on January 4, according to Dawn.
It came after the Election Commission of Pakistan's report stated that the PTI provided "false information" regarding the party's funding. It said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) statement revealed that the party had received Rs 1.64 million in funding.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party may face forfeiture of funds over scrutiny committee's recent disclosure of donations from foreign companies and the country's nationals.
The report suggests that confiscation of contributions and donations could be made. "If the ECP comes to the conclusion that a case falls within the mischief of Article 6(3) of the Political Parties Order (PPO), the penalty provided is confiscation of such contributions and donations... it cannot impose a ban on the political party [as that] action is restricted to only foreign-aided political parties to be decided by the proper forum," Dawn said citing the report.
