The Election Commission of Pakistan adjourned for four weeks the hearing into the show-cause notice for confiscation of prohibited funds of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on the request of the party’s lawyer.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawyer Anwar Mansoor told the commission that unidentified people had taken away all the record from the office, adding the ground has been narrowed on a political party.
The chief election commissioner remarked that such situations keep occurring to political parties.
“All the record is present, take it from us. Ten months have passed and still no response has been submitted,” he remarked.
A three-member commission headed by the chief election commissioner conducted the hearing.
Advocate Anwar Mansoor appeared before the commission on behalf of the PTI, and told the court that unidentified people had taken away all the record from their office.
“Currently, the PTI offices are closed, and officials are in hiding,” Anwar Mansoor said, adding he was trying to obtain the record through different means.
He asked what arguments he should present on the absence of the record.
The CEC said the case was related to the confiscation of the PTI’s prohibited funds, adding that even after 10 months, a response has not been submitted.
He stressed that the case could not be postponed indefinitely.
“You should give in writing that the record is not available, and we will pronounce our decision,” the CEC commented.
Anwar Mansoor requested for a month’s time more to submit a response.
“At present, the ground has been narrowed on the political party,” he told the court.
Such situations keep happening to political parties in Pakistan, the chief election commissioner replied, adding they did not need to worry too much about it.
The Election Commission of Pakistan allowed the PTI another four weeks to submit the reply, and adjourned further hearing in the case till July 6.
