ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): As many as 312 political parties have
failed to submit their statements of bank accounts for financial year
2016-17 with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) within due time.
According to an official of ECP, some major political parties
couldn’t submit their statements of accounts including Mutahida Qaumi
Movement (Pakistan), Muslim League (Functional), Pakistan Muslim League
(Zia), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Junejo).
He said that as many as 31 political parties out of 345 have submitted
their statements of bank accounts for financial year 2016-17 with the ECP
within due time.
He said that Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Pakistan and Qaumi Watan
Party has submitted its accounts details after expiry of final date for
submission of details.
He said that any such political party which has failed to submit
party account statements within due time will not be allowed to contest
any future election and these political parties will not be issued party
symbol by the ECP.
He said that the ECP has received statements from political parties
included Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan
People’s Party Parliamentarians, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamiat-e-Ulema
Pakistan (F),Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Awami National Party, Pak Sarzameen
Party Pakistan Women Muslim League, Pakistan Gharib Party, Pakistan Jamat
Ahle-Hadith Pakistan (Ropri), Tehreek-e-Tahafuze Pakistan, Jamhoori Watan
Party, Move on Pakistan, Hazara Democratic Party, Sindh United Party,
Pakistan Muslim League Pakistan People’s Party Workers, Pakistan Muhammadi
Party, Pakistan Social Justice Party, Pakistan Supreme Democratic Party,
Islami Tehreek Pakistan, Pakistan People’s Party (Shaheed Bhutto), Pakistan
Reh-e-Haq, Pakistan Awami Muslim League, Pakistan People’s Front, National
Party, Awami League, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaniat Allah-O-Akbar Tehreek and
Mustaqbil Pakistan.
He said that the final date for submission of political parties’
statement of accounts for financial year 2016-17 with the ECP expired on
August 29 (Tuesday).
He said that in terms of Article 14 of the Political Party
Order, 2002, a party, which failed to submit its statement of accounts
under Article 13, would not be eligible to obtain election symbol for
contesting elections for Majils-e-Shoora (Parliament) and provincial
assemblies.
He said the commission had reminded the political parties that
in terms of Article 13 of the Political Parties Order, 2002, they
had to file their statement of accounts with it.
Under Article 13 of the Political Parties Order, 2002 every
political party is to submit to the Commission within 60 days from
the close of each financial year, a consolidated statement of its
bank accounts on Form-I duly audited by a Chartered Accountant.
The statement of accounts of the party is required to be
accompanied by a certificate signed by the party leader stating that
no funds from any source prohibited under Political Parties Order, 2002,
were received by the party and that the statement contains an accurate
financial position of the party.
