Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan has said that raising funds from abroad was not illegal in 2012.
Earlier this week, a three-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, unanimously found that the PTI received prohibited funds from 34 foreign nationals and 351 companies based outside the country.
The commission also declared that 13 ‘unknown’ accounts had been found linked to the party and the submissions by the PTI chief were ‘inaccurate and wrong’.
The party was issued a show-cause notice after the unanimous verdict.
Addressing his supporters present at Islamabad’s F-9 Park via a video link today, the PTI chief said that the law, which prohibited taking funds from foreign companies, was introduced in 2017. But our case is from 2012.”
The former premier said that there was nothing wrong with the PTI receiving funds from a foreign company in 2012 since it was still allowed at the time.
“Across the world, political parties raise money by hosting dinners… The ECP is almost saying that money sent by overseas Pakistanis will be regarded as foreign funding,” he said.
The ECP had played a “big role” in controlling elections in the country, he added.
Earlier this week, a three-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, unanimously found that the PTI received prohibited funds from 34 foreign nationals and 351 companies based outside the country.
The commission also declared that 13 ‘unknown’ accounts had been found linked to the party and the submissions by the PTI chief were ‘inaccurate and wrong’.
The party was issued a show-cause notice after the unanimous verdict.
Addressing his supporters present at Islamabad’s F-9 Park via a video link today, the PTI chief said that the law, which prohibited taking funds from foreign companies, was introduced in 2017. But our case is from 2012.”
The former premier said that there was nothing wrong with the PTI receiving funds from a foreign company in 2012 since it was still allowed at the time.
“Across the world, political parties raise money by hosting dinners… The ECP is almost saying that money sent by overseas Pakistanis will be regarded as foreign funding,” he said.
The ECP had played a “big role” in controlling elections in the country, he added.