In a unanimous judgement, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) declared that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had used illegal funds throughout its election campaigns. They said Funding Was Taken By PTI.
The decision was make public by a three-member tribunal led by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja on June 21, following an eight-year trial.
The main electoral authority claimed that 13 Benami accounts were found during the investigation. And add that the Imran Khan-led party received donations abroad. Furthermore, it claimed that the PTI had violated Pakistan\’s Constitution by hiding financial information.
PTI received funding from 351 businesses and 34 individuals worldwide, including the US and Australia.
Funds received by PTI from Foriegn nationals and companies. ECP will issue show cause notice to PTI for further action. pic.twitter.com/0bjSe2Tf1A
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) August 2, 2022
The ECP has given the political party a show-cause notice after labelling. The fake affidavit PTI submitted as proof of its funding.
Since Akbar S. Babar, the party\’s founder claimed serious irregularities in the party\’s finances, including funding from outside Pakistan. The ECP has been looking into the party\’s funding.
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A heavy police presence surrounded the main election body. And all access roads to the ECP were briefly block off.
The decision was made shortly after the Financial Times (FT), a reputable British newspaper, reported on Pakistani entrepreneur Arif Naqvi\’s apparent participation in the PTI\’s finances and how a sizable portion of those funds in 2013 was of foreign origin.
The FT article states, \”Naqvi transferred three instalments straight to the PTI in 2013 totaling $2.12m.\”
Wootton Cricket Ltd., a Cayman Islands-incorporated business owned by Naqvi, is at the centre of the issue for using proceeds from fundraising events for good causes, including the \”Wootton T20 Cup,\” to support PTI.
Naqvi is the founder of the Dubai-based Abraaj Group, which at the time the PTI was running its election campaign in 2013, was one of the biggest private equity firms active in emerging countries. According to the FT story, he held the cricket event at his rural house in the Oxfordshire village of Wootton from 2010 to 2012.
According to the UK daily, guests must pay between £2,000 and £2,500 to attend. The publication quoted Naqvi saying that the funds were donate to \”philanthropic causes.\”
According to the FT investigation, funds came into Wootton Cricket from businesses and individuals. Including at least £2 million from an official of the government of the United Arab Emirates who is also a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi.
Foreign companies or individuals cannot fund political parties in Pakistan. Still, according to emails and account information from Wootton Cricket obtained by the Financial Times (FT) between February 28 and May 30, 2013, both foreign companies and individuals as well as Pakistanis sent millions of dollars to Wootton Cricket, which then transferred the money to the PTI in Pakistan.
In 2012, Imran Khan went to Wootton Place. The former cricketer responded to FT\’s inquiries by stating that he had attend. However, A fundraising event that was attend by several PTI fans. He added that Tariq Shafi, a businessman. Did donate to the PTI, but \”Tariq Shafi must respond as to whence he obtained this money.\”
Khan said neither he nor his party knew that Abraaj had donated $1.3 million via Wootton Cricket. He added that he was \”not aware\” of the PTI getting any UAE-sourced cash.
Arif Naqvi claimed in a statement submitted to the Election Commission, which was also uncontest. That the funds came from donations made at a cricket game and were transferr through his business Wootton Cricket.
According to Khan, it would improper to \”prejudge PTI,\” who state that he was awaiting the ECP\’s decision.
The ECP stated in its January report that Wootton Cricket had sent $2.12 million to the PTI. But at the time, it did not specify where the money had come from.
Wootton Cricket\’s owner, Naqvi, has confirmed business ownership while denying wrongdoing. I have not obtained funds from non-Pakistani nationals. Businesses (public or private), or any other unlawful sources, the man declared to the ECP.
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