The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Monday constituted a committee to investigate foreign funding of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. A three-member panel, led by ECP Director-General Law Muhammad Arshad, has been directed to submit its report to the Commission within a month. Announcing its decision which was reserved at the last hearing, the Election Commission directed for formation of a three-member committee to probe PTI's accounts and seven-year funding record which the party had submitted before the Commission.
As per the ECP verdict, the committee is to scrutinize all documents and evidence in the presence of the petitioner, the respondents and their lawyers, and to present a report on its findings within a month. The committee will start its work from March 19, according to the order. In November 2014, disgruntled PTI leader Akbar S Babar had filed a petition after developing differences with the party Chairman Imran Khan on alleged internal party corruption and financial wrongdoings in managing the PTI funds.
Babar alleged the party was receiving funds through illegal channels, calling for an investigation into its financial records. He also alleged that the foreign accounts used to collect funds were concealed from the annual audit reports submitted to the ECP. The PTI avoided submitting the required documents for nearly two years for one reason or the other; first approaching the Supreme Court to challenge the Commission's jurisdiction in the matter and later challenging the maintainability of the case before the high court.
After months of foot-dragging, the PTI finally submitted account statements and documents detailing the funding it received from foreign sources over the past seven years to the ECP on September 18 last year. Talking to media persons after the hearing, petitioner Babar said he hopes the PTI will not seek another stay from the High Court against that day's order, adding that the party has been indulging in the practice of getting stays and delays from courts.
Addressing the media later, PTI Central Finance Secretary Sardar Azhar said the party did neither receive foreign funding nor did it hide anything in its accounts. He added that they will cooperate with the committee.