ECP Says it has Powers to Scrutinise Funds of Political Parties

ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan said on Thursday that it had the jurisdiction to scrutinise funds received by political parties from abroad and within the country.

A full bench of the commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s assertion that it had no authority to hear a case about alleged misuse of funds by the PTI and set Oct 10 as the next date of hearing.

A written order is expected soon.

PTI counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan, who is a former attorney general, questioned the ECP’s authority to hear the case.

Former information secretary and founding member of the PTI Akbar S. Babar had filed a petition with the ECP in November last year, alleging corruption and violation of laws in collection of donations and managing funds by his party.

Later he submitted to the commission what he described as documentary evidence to prove that the PTI had received funds from individuals and companies abroad, including Jewish American Barry C. Schneps and US-born Indian Indur Dosanjh.

The petitioner alleged that the PTI leadership had violated various clauses of the Political Parties Order, 2002, and Political Parties Rules, 2002.

The commission had decided that the declaration of assets filed by the PTI with it would be examined to ascertain authenticity of certain audit reports. It noted that the party had provided no information in its declarations about the source of funds.

When contacted, an official of the ECP said Section 4(f) of the Political Parties Order, 2002, specifically barred formation or conversion of a party to a foreign-aided political entity.

He said under Section 6(3) contributions made, directly or indirectly, by a foreign government, multinational or domestically-based incorporated public or private company, firm, trade or professional association was prohibited.

He said under Section 13 a political party was bound to submit to the ECP within 60 days from the close of each financial year a consolidated statement of its accounts. The statement, audited by a chartered accountant, should contain annual income and expenses, sources of funds and assets and liabilities, along with a certificate signed by the party leader that no funds from any sources prohibited under the order were received and the statement contained an accurate financial position of the party.

The official said that under Section 5 of the Political Parties Rules, financial transactions within a party should be entered in the statement of accounts. Section 6 reads: “Where the Election Commission decides that the contributions or donations, as the case may be, accepted by the political parties are prohibited …., it shall, subject to notice to the political party concerned and after giving an opportunity of being heard, direct the same to be confiscated in favour of the state….”

Talking to newsmen outside the ECP, Akbar S. Babar said the case would prove to be a landmark in order to bring transparency and accountability in political parties.

He said a national conference was being convened in Islamabad to unite ideological workers of the party from Pakistan and abroad.

The conference would chalk out a strategy for saving the PTI from traditional politics and politicians and cleanse it of corrupt elements, he added. Mr Babar said retired Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed would also be invited to the conference.

Source