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Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) on Tuesday challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order to furnish its bank details in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Party representatives informed the ECP that they had taken the matter to the IHC as they believe that the ECP has no jurisdiction in the matter and cannot summon PTI's bank details.
A five-member committee of the ECP, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza, then asked the PTI to produce the restraining order from the IHC that bars them from hearing the case.
"Has the high court passed any restraining court?" the chief election commissioner asked.
The PTI counsel said though the court had not passed any restraining order it had fixed the petition for a hearing on Wednesday.
"How can we adjourn the proceedings without any restraining order from the high court?" Raza, himself a retired justice, asserted.
The PTI's counsel then argued that a petition of similar nature was also being heard by the Supreme Court so the matter should be adjourned.
He requested the ECP to adjourn the matter till next week, as PTI lead counsel Mansoor was busy in the apex court.
However, the chief election commissioner turned down the request and adjourned the hearing till tomorrow (Wednesday).
The election commission also expressed its annoyance over PTI's non-compliance in providing details of its bank accounts.
The foreign funding case has been in limbo since Oct 8, 2015 when a full bench of the ECP rejected the PTI’s stance that the commission did not have jurisdiction to scrutinise the party’s accounts.
In November 2015, the PTI filed a petition in the IHC to suspend the ECP's scrutiny of its bank accounts.
However, after waiting for over a year, the ECP finally passed an order on Dec 1, 2016 asking the PTI to submit all documents about its finances, including the bank statements of PTI leaders in whose accounts money was allegedly received from illegal sources.
The documents sought include the registration deeds of two US-based offshore companies, which were allegedly used to collect $3 million and transfer the funds to PTI accounts in Pakistan.
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Comments (47) Closed
May 30, 2017 02:22pm
Politics of tit-for-tat.
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May 30, 2017 02:28pm
ECP is taking orders from PMLN.
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May 30, 2017 02:29pm
What is joke - MQM was operated for decades from UK no questions asked!
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May 30, 2017 02:31pm
Wow ..., Mr Clean refuses to give Talaashi yet again!!! He thinks he is untouchable --
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May 30, 2017 02:33pm
Why PTI is not presenting all the records? Is there something to hide?
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May 30, 2017 02:36pm
seems to be malafide intention just to take revenge from PTI against Panama case
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May 30, 2017 02:45pm
IK on run but cannot escape.
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May 30, 2017 02:46pm
The hypocrisy of PTI and its supporters is beyond belief
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May 30, 2017 02:53pm
how come the CEC had not acted so fast against nawaz sharif in panama case? it clearly seems that he is working under someone else's instruction as even a child knows that he is a person of PML-N and is a man with no integrity... if he did not hear the panama case then he cannot hear the PTI funding case . this is is simple as that !!
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May 30, 2017 02:57pm
constant avoidance of accountability by PTI. why are they worried if they did nothing wrong!
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May 30, 2017 03:06pm
When was the last time ECP requested bank statements from PMLN, PPP, MQM or anyone else for that matter. Is this really impartial investigations?
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May 30, 2017 03:08pm
PTI should present any and all details ECP is asking for. But this matter and the timing clearly indicates that institutions such as ECP are under the influence of ruling party aka Nawaz Sharif.
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May 30, 2017 03:09pm
An election commission behaving in such a manner! Could we expect them to be impartial in elections?
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May 30, 2017 03:11pm
Why not open up MQM , PPP and PML N and ask them to provide details of their funding . Why just target PTI because it is the first boy party raising voice against corruption.
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May 30, 2017 03:11pm
Why IK is providing a chance to mud sliding on himself. He should present all record before ECP just to shut mouths of opponents.
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May 30, 2017 03:12pm
Chicken comes to rooster
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May 30, 2017 03:13pm
@ft
I can laugh simply on you innocence..
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May 30, 2017 03:14pm
IK's disqualification is as imminent as Nawaz Sharif's. Establishment has effectively disposed of both key political players, using one against the other.
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May 30, 2017 03:18pm
There is no law in Pakistan except law of power. All corrupts are trying to tarnish the images of those who are trying to expose their corruption.
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May 30, 2017 03:21pm
@SBaig why single out PTI why not ask PMLN about its funding from SA and MQM about its funding from London.
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May 30, 2017 03:21pm
@Harmony-1©
PTI
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May 30, 2017 03:26pm
Why the hesitation if there is nothing to hide? Or is there? Maybe we should all openly embrace corruption as an integral part of our society under the motto " To the corruptest go the spoils". Usage of words like morality, righteousness, honesty, justice, equality etc. should be simply discarded from our land of pure deception.
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May 30, 2017 03:42pm
What PTI is hiding why PTI fans are not able to see that we need to get rid of corrupt elements no matter they are in PTI, PMLN, PPP or any party. It is high time to stand with the institutions of country rather than personalities. Those who are asking the questions why PMLN and PPP are not tried who is stopping PTI to take this matter to ECP or SC? Those who are blaming ECP just answer my simple question why ECP should not invstigate foreign funding issue when by LAW no political party can directly take foreign funding. Why when we are asked simple question and told that by law we are wrong instead of feeling ashamed or giving answer we tend to say all others are also doing same? Why PTI is hiding its account details and is impeding the process by hiding behind litigation?
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May 30, 2017 03:42pm
@Dr Khan Mr khan .. Please read well before speak .. The case has been filed by one of the founding member of pti in the Ecp.
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May 30, 2017 03:44pm
@Vikas Rehman the case been filed by one of the founding memeber of pti .. Ik's nearist frnd once
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May 30, 2017 03:47pm
There is no doubt ECP is doing this to make PMLN happy consider the timing of NS and Panama Papers. No institution runs free and with some integrity in this country
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May 30, 2017 03:49pm
What a joke ...ecp of pakistan taken order from pmln..no good for pakistan....what about mqm , ppp ,plmn... others this is doble standard....this is dangerous for pakistan
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May 30, 2017 03:52pm
Imran Khan and PTI should provide these details if they are really with clean hands...
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May 30, 2017 03:52pm
It's going to be double knockout while zardari will come out clean
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May 30, 2017 03:52pm
@shoaib what an argument and what a shadow political party quoted as example but just to tell you as per Scotland Yard finding money was sent from Pakistan to London by the way this is not the question asked to PTI to give ECP name of other foreign funded parties but the question is to share the account details of PTI which is a registered political party by same ECP. May be money was laundered may be foreign grants were accepted may be some black money is involved so why to hide if everything is all clean
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May 30, 2017 03:53pm
@liaqat But how can revenge be taken against someone who has not done anything wrong and has nothing to hide??
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May 30, 2017 03:54pm
@irfan This is not point. Point is why PTI is not sharing the account details to null the allegation that it is not foreign funded party. Just focus on question and try to answer it
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May 30, 2017 03:57pm
@ft just tell me by LAW ECP which is governing body for all political parties of Pakistan asked a simple question to PTI and that too when one of closed confident of PTI approached ECP with the allegation of foreign funding and funds embezzlement. Why PTI is hiding
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May 30, 2017 04:00pm
PTI and Imran khan running away from Talashi.
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May 30, 2017 04:01pm
Ecp is not an independent body but a subsidiary
Of noon league....no action against mqm or any others party but only against IK since it is a threat
To noon league.
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May 30, 2017 04:04pm
Don't you guys get it? IK's corruption is of the good kind. For the good of the country. When he attacks parliament and PTV it is for the glory of Pakistan. When he lies about people it is because he loves Pakistan. When he asks his supporters to break the law it's because he wants Naya Pakistan.
So stop asking these silly questions. Just wish our great leader well and pray for him that he does not have to be subjected to this time wasting nonsense. His time is precious.
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May 30, 2017 04:08pm
@SBaig he has not looted the coffers of Pakistan like other Political parties & their families who are now under criminal investigation by Pakistan courts.
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May 30, 2017 04:11pm
@Azhar People like you who have been slaves of N league and do not care about the looting of Pakistan for decades are bound to give statements against a man who came in the politics by his own resources for the betterment of people of Pakistan.
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May 30, 2017 04:12pm
whats PTI trying to hide here for past 3 years,,,
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May 30, 2017 04:13pm
Yes PTI, it is all Nawaz's fault. No one else to blame, Nawaz has requested IK not to comply with the election commission. Everything is Nawaz's fault.
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May 30, 2017 04:16pm
There is no limit to carry on litigations. The politics in Pakistan is a very expensive phenomenon. There can never be an Aam Admi Party in Pakistan. The tycoons,the feudals,industrialists & bankers have inheritance to rule this nation by their own choice.The fights for grabbing the rule is going on between elephants,may God save the grass.
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May 30, 2017 04:27pm
@M WASIM K Sir thanks a lot for your so nice word selection and why will I doubt about the sincerity of a person who has come to politics with hi OWN RESOURCES. So when ECP asked that just tell us the OWN RESOURCES why he and his party is hiding?
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May 30, 2017 04:37pm
All parties must come clean.
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May 30, 2017 04:40pm
@shoaib Does this provide a cover to PMLN or to PTI not to answer the question.
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May 30, 2017 07:53pm
@Azad khial
Good one
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May 30, 2017 08:12pm
Why IK is not submitting accounts. He is collecting millions of dollars funds and must account for that. If he cannot account then he is not sadiq and amin. EC should not be blamed and Ik if he is clean then he should not hesitate to volunteer all details.
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May 31, 2017 12:19am
Why doesn't IK produce records if no wrong has been done?
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