ISLAMABAD, August 2(ABC): The Election Commission of Pakistan, in a unanimous verdict on Tuesday, said it has found that the PTI received prohibited funding.
The commission found that 34 foreign donations were taken in fundraising. The donations were taken from America, Australia, and the UAE.
In addition, PTI took funds from an American businessman, the ECP said.
Unknown accounts have also come to light, said the commission in its verdict, adding that hiding accounts is a “violation of the Constitution”.
Moreover, it found that PTI Chairman Imran Khan submitted a false Nomination Form I and that the affidavit provided regarding party accounts was false.
The ECP has issued a show-cause notice to PTI.
The case was earlier referred to as the “foreign funding” case, but later the election commission accepted the PTI’s plea to refer to it as the “prohibited funding” case.
The ECP on Monday released the cause list for the case. The cause list showed that the verdict will be announced by a three-member bench led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja — who arrived early in the morning at the office.
The decision to announce the verdict comes after a Financial Times exposé revealed that the PTI received funding from Wootton Cricket Club belonging to Abraaj founder Arif Naqvi. The funds were generated through a charity match and an Arab personality also pitched in a large sum of money.
The FT report provided ammunition to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), and they demanded an early announcement of the verdict — in the case which was filed in 2014 by PTI founding member Akbar S Babar.
A report showed that despite Babar’s repeated attempts to convince Khan that some of PTI’s top leaders were involved in financial wrongdoings, the party chairman turned a blind eye — eventually leading to the ex-PTI leader filing a case in the ECP.
The sources said that the PTI would only harm itself if it files a reference against the CEC as certain matters which were earlier hidden from public view would be revealed during the hearings.
They said that the ECP is a constitutional body and will continue to follow the constitutional path.
“The ECP will not bow to any blackmailing and will not come under any pressure. No political party is a favourite of the election commission and neither is any a non-favourite. Those who are following the law are standing with the ECP.”
When the attention of these sources was drawn to the announcement of PTI Chairman Imran Khan to file a judicial reference against the ECP and the CEC, they said that this was an attempt to create a smoke screen ahead of the verdict.
The investigations into international money laundering have been completed, they added.