PML-N, PTI richest of country’s political parties

[LahoreEstate]

* PML-Q shows deficit due to its donations in flood-hit Balochistan areas

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) are the richest political parties, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F); and PML-Quaid (PML-Q) are among the poorest, according to the annual returns submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to a report published by the ECP and made available to Daily Times, the PPP had only Rs 436,405 in its treasury at the close of the financial year ending on June 30, 2008. Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf has signed the statement of the party’s accounts. The JUI-F, for all intents and purposes, has a zero balance in its kitty. The statement signed by Secretary General Senator Maulana Ghafoor Haidri claims that the party has Rs 848,115 in its accounts, but the same amount is due against them in the form of liabilities.

Deficit: The Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain-led PML-Q closed out the year with a deficit of Rs 12,100. The party’s total income for the past year was Rs 7.2 million, but its expenditure was Rs 9.819 million as it distributed Rs 3 million in donations in the flood-hit Balochistan areas. The Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) both have deficits of Rs 177,134 and Rs 277,044, respectively.

The PML-N has emerged as the richest party with Rs 12.716 million in their accounts; the major chunk coming in the form of ticket fees for the February 18 general elections. The party has also mentioned the PML House at Margalla House, Islamabad as part of its fixed assets. Similarly, the PTI of Imran Khan is the second richest party with Rs 2.601 million in its accounts. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is the third richest political party, with Rs 2.595 million in their kitty at the close of financial year 2008. The Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan had a net balance of Rs 1.216 million in their accounts.

The Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awamy party, led by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, has only Rs 11,203 in its kitty. The Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) and the Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao have Rs 321,000 and Rs 653,306, respectively.

In total, 56 political parties submitted their annual returns to the ECP and are thus considered as registered political parties. It should be noted that the balance sheets quoted above do not take into account the fixed assets of the parties in the form of offices, furniture and office equipment.

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