Parties should allow public investigation of funds: IHC

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) remarked that political parties should encourage the accountability process and allow public investigation of party funds, a report in a local media informed.

The remarks were given by IHC judges during the hearing of an appeal filed by of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the order of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in foreign funding case. Justice Athar Minallah added that any citizen could seek an audit of party funds.

Counsel for PTI chairman Anwar Mansoor Khan said that PTI was ready for accountability but ECP is only listening to one petitioner Babar.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan had requested IHC to declare proceedings of the committee formed by ECP as unlawful. He quoted ECP and Akber S Baber, a displeased member of PTI, as respondents to the petition. He said that the terms of reference of the committee are in violation of the observation of Supreme Court (SC) and the orders of IHC. All proceedings of the committee were made public by Akbar through his social media accounts, claimed Imran.

Imran’s counsel added that Akbar’s participation in the committee’s proceedings is a violation of SC’s guidelines.

The IHC bench issued notices to ECP and Babar and adjourned the hearing.