The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) will challenge in court the ‘false accusations’ levelled by a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader against the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH).
Senior PML-N leader Khawaja Asif had alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had lost a huge sum of money donated to the SKMH in “real-estate gambles”.
“I would request the chief justice to take up the matter at the earliest and save the country’s largest charity organisation,” Imran told a news conference on Tuesday.
Imran said his lawyer Advocate Salman Akram Raja would file a petition in the apex court – but did not say when it would be filed.
Responding to the charges regarding the endowment fund losses, the PTI chief said the $3 million mentioned by Asif were stated in the hospital’s balance sheet.
“The investment was made by the financial committee of the hospital,” he said. And since he was not a member of the committee, he was not consulted.
Despite this, Imran vowed he would bear the loss and return the money to the hospital in case of any untoward situation.
“I will sell my house located at Zaman Park in Lahore in case the hospital loses the money,” Imran said, adding that the only cancer hospital in the country belonged to the entire nation.
The PTI chief said every year Rs2 billion is spent on the treatment of poor patients at the SKMH, while requesting the chief justice to decide the matter as early as possible in order to save the hospital.
“Since elections are nearing, they (the PML-N) are going to target the SKMH and Sita White in their campaigns to malign me. The case should be dealt by the Supreme Court so that the situation is cleared to the masses,” he added.
Addressing the chief justice, he asserted that he (Imran) was not building ‘factories’ with donations, and was, instead, building institutions for the people of Pakistan.
The PTI chief said the PML-N’s allegations have severely dented fund-raising efforts of “Pakistan’s biggest charity hospital”.
“It has been done purposefully during the holy month of Ramazan, when we collect funds,” he added.
Imran said the hospital management was planning on opening two more hospitals, in Karachi and Peshawar – efforts for which could also be hampered because of the allegations.
“My friends tell me why I am even trying to dispel Asif’s allegations. I tell them that I am only doing this because I am a public figure and being a politician I owe this,” Imran said.
The PTI chief also said he had produced his tax statements of the last 30 years to verify that all the money he had spent was not stolen from the accounts of the SKMH.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2012.
COMMENTS (27)
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Looks like all the PML-N. Supporters are posting through their new laptops ;)
I saw many patients wrongly diagnosed as Cancer by Shakut Khanum to make money. Inappropriate and false biopsy results many times. Poor people are always referred out to private doctors. Young college girls are exposed to Mammograms , when its well known that mammograms cause cancer. Imran has never admitted he has a child from Sita White when the child looks like him.
Only his family runs Shakut Khanum.
Nearly 2 Billion in Funds are gone which were for poor pakistanis and he bought a expensive villa in islamabad
I think it is important the next administration in Pakistan is clean, with leaders who can lead by their own example. Pakistan is broke, and needs clean leadership to be able to suirvive.
PMLN will try anything to come to power.They will try to destroy those great institutions which are of international standards Like every charity organisation SKMH has its endowmnet fund the money of which was invested in a property scheme for profits however property business has gone out of steem recently and that money invested did not make any profit.But the person through which this money. is invested says he fully guarantee the money. Now what is the issue? PMLN just raise this issues in Ramadan to affect the zakat campaign for the hospital which in return will affect the treatment of poor cancer patients in our country.The money laundering of Nawaz sharif through QAZI FAMILY is a well known fact and he should answer those serious questions raised by Imran khan.Moreover if he is paying only RS 5000 or RS60000 tax per year how did he build all those "Mahals" in Raiwand and bought Flats in london? Can he come and answer these questions on TV the way imran khan does it
Just to add here, I cross checked a few banks for donations and Zakat, and all of the banks have "SKMCH & RC ZAKAT" and "SKMCH & RC DONATIONS" accounts separated. So for all PLMN supporters, please stop defaming SKMCH on baseless allegations. Be sure, if even one penny is prevented from donating to SKMCH because of your allegations, you will be held 100% responsible on the day of judgement.
@Adnan Jameel: You must be mentally deranged to accuse Imran of corruption.IK has no history of corruption.Its the PMLN leadership who has looted billions of tax payers money.Why hasn't Nawaz Sharif answered the 11 questions put forward by IK?.
Comparing the small charities of the bank defaulting and money-laundering Sharifs to the internationally recognized largest Charity hospital in Pakistan is a joke! There are not many charity cancer hospital like the size and scale of Shaukat Khanum in the whole world!
yes ehsan .. the mouth piece of PML N.. seems PML N have started paying desperate students to write against KHAN.. I support neither but definetly Know that Imran Khan is a man of integrity..Cant say the same for Pmln
Its strange how our public can go against or for someone in a minute, based on one claim, whether true or false. Just look at the acheivements of the past. Imran Khan gave us the world's only free for needy cancer hospital, he left his life of pleasures for just one reason, to fix Pakistan. And just compare the intention with PLMN's, its hilarious when you are blaming on a charity organization while you pay a few thousand as tax money, at the same time build empires in and outside Pakistan. Its high time now that everyone opens the eyes and realizes Imran Khan's trust, we have lost 15 years already to accept him, if we dont do it now, I dont see any positive future for our country.
Hassan. please be realistic. Dont be blind. If Imran has done something wrong, say it as wrong. Dont support him blindly.
Imran Khan is not an angel. His corruption should be exposed. I request PTI fans to please come out of dreams. Imran Khan has embezzled money of donors of hospital. He must be punished.
@bilal jhangvi
And you are suggesting that we should consider Sharifs as cleanest politician on planet right? Btw hows your laptop working ? :D
Imran can never win elections on the basis of money earned through cooruption in zakat donated by people.
Imran should improve his communication skills. He always uses abusive language against others. He should treat others in civilized manner.
There are already many questions about past youth life of Imran. He is just helping PPP to win next elections by splitting vote bank of PML(N) in Punjab and KPK. Shame for playing such an evil role.
Those people should open their eyes who have hopes from PTI. Imran is doing cooruption in the name of hospital. Very sad.
it was khawaja asif who said to discuss this on media .. (go through the complete press conference of his highness khwaja asif) .. now that the other side is giving all the proofs and details.. he's nowhere to be found .. and as for nawaz charity work.. i appreciate that and even imran khan never questioned nawaz's charity work .. because these are for the benefit of the people.. and shouldn't be maligned for political gains unless there is a serious case for that..
@adnan jameel.. boy you need to learn alot about endowment funds.. read good academic books.. that will help you :)
Once my cousin was fired by street crimers before gate of Shoukat Khanum Hospital. He was rushed in the hospital for emergency treatment but Shoukat Khanum authorities refused to give him first aid and emergency treatment to him by sayin that it is a cancer hospital. SHAME. First aid and emergency treatment can be given by any hospital. Later on, my cousin was rushed to another hospital in critical condition where he was treated. What message can I get about Shoukat Khanum Hospital after this incident. Imran knows only politics of false blames.
@Altaf Khawaja: is it Altaf khawaja or Khawaja Asif? Why would IK have to answer for what ever sorry thing happened?
Embezzlement of zakat by Shoukat Khanum authorities should be probed. The corruption of Imran should be brought forward to public.
Imran Khan is great man we have only last hope from imran khan he will bulid up new pakistan inshallah.whatever PML do in this election they cannt win even Khawaja Asif dont know what is the meaning of money laundering.
Once I had to take a patient to Shoukat Khanum Hospital who was in critical condition but hospital administration refused to admit the patient without any valid reason. The patient was suffering from blood cancer and he was brought there from Kasur. Afterwards, he was admitted in Ittefaq Hospital where he died after one month. No mercy for Imran Khan and Shoukat Khanum Hospital. Insha Allah, Imran will answer the patient on the day of judgment before Allah.
Imran should face the reality. He was throwing stones on others while sitting in the home of glasses. He should not forget his past. He always used abusive and bazari language against other politicians. He should not forget the contributions made by Sharif Brothers for Shoukat Khanum Hospital. There are many projects of social welfare being run by Sharif Brothers but they have never used the same for political motives. For example Ittefaq Hospital Lahore Sharif Medical and Education City Nawaz Sharif Social Security Hospital etc.
I have paid zakat to Shoukat Khanum many times but going forward I shall never pay zakat to Shoukat Khanum.
We are fed up with this point scoring race between PMLN and PTI. Both are wasting time, instead of being productive against corrupt government elements.
Truth Alone Triumphs