PM Imran welcomes ECP’s scrutiny committee report on PTI funding

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday welcomed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to scrutinize Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s funding through donations from overseas Pakistanis.

“The more our accounts are scrutinised the more factual clarity will emerge for nation to see how PTI is the only political party with proper donor base premised on proper political fundraising,” Imran said in a tweet lauding the decision.

I welcome ECP's scrutiny of PTI's funding through donations from Overseas Pakistanis. The more our accounts are scrutinised the more factual clarity will emerge for nation to see how PTI is the only political party with proper donor base premised on proper political fundraising.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 5, 2022

The premier further added that he looked forward for the electoral body to probe the funding of two other major political parties in the country—Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

“This will allow nation to see difference between proper poll fundraising and extortion of money from crony capitalists and vested interests in exchange for favours at nation’s expense,” he added.

Election Commission of Pakistan, in a report, has accused PTI of receiving funds from foreign nationals and companies, under-reporting its funds and concealing its bank accounts.

According to the report, the party under-reported an amount of Rs312 million over a four-year period, between 2009-10 and 2012-13. Year-wise details show that an amount of over Rs145m was under-reported in FY2012-13 alone.

The report further reveals that PTI had not disclosed 26 of its bank accounts while the electoral body knew of only four.

A statement from the State Bank of Pakistan showed that PTI had received donations of Rs1.64 billion whereas it had only revealed an amount of Rs1.33 billion to the ECP.