Imran using public money for political campaign: Pervaiz Rashid
Information minister asks PTI chairman to justify 'lavish lifestyle and traveling expenses'
ISLAMABAD:
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of using public money to pursue his political campaigning.
Rashid, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Sunday, said the airplane used by Imran for his ongoing political campaign across the country belongs to JWD Sugar Mills.
“JDW is a public limited company and the PTI secretary general Jahangir Tareen only has 29.76% shares in the company,” he said. "The other 70.24% shares are owned by other financial institutions and shareholders.”
He added that using the aircraft for political motives is an illegal act as per company laws.
“Company laws say any public company limited company cannot give donations to a political party and cannot contribute in monetary terms.”
Rashid further said the airplane was bought for company interests but was being used for politics.
“I haven’t heard if the majority of shareholders decided to use their airplane for PTI’s political campaign,” he said. “[JWD Sugar Mills] is supposed to crush sugar, not the economy of Pakistan.”
The information minister said such misuse of funds was being carried out by a person who gives lectures the public on integrity and uprightness on a daily basis.
Rashid further said that the PTI chairman paid Rs0.1 million in income tax last year, asking him to justify his ‘lavish’ lifestyle and traveling expenses in his upcoming speech in Gujranwala.
“What other sources of income do you have?” he asked the PTI chief. “You’re traveling on stolen money.”
Tareen rejects Rashid’s claims
Rejecting the information minister’s claims, Tareen, while talking to Express News, accused Rashid of blatantly lying.
“Whenever Imran Khan has traveled in the plane, I have paid all the expenses myself,” he said. “I have all the documents since the day he has started using the aircraft.”
Tareen added that as long as he was paying for Imran's travel expenses, it should not be an issue to anyone as it was a matter between him and his party chief.
When asked that why the PTI chairman did not use commercial flights meant for the public, the secretary general said, “We wanted to reach Larkana at the time of Imran’s speech in the rally, and then he had to go back to attend the Islamabad sit-in. There were no flights then; would PIA run flights as per Imran’s wish?”
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid has accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of using public money to pursue his political campaigning.
Rashid, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Sunday, said the airplane used by Imran for his ongoing political campaign across the country belongs to JWD Sugar Mills.
“JDW is a public limited company and the PTI secretary general Jahangir Tareen only has 29.76% shares in the company,” he said. "The other 70.24% shares are owned by other financial institutions and shareholders.”
He added that using the aircraft for political motives is an illegal act as per company laws.
“Company laws say any public company limited company cannot give donations to a political party and cannot contribute in monetary terms.”
Rashid further said the airplane was bought for company interests but was being used for politics.
“I haven’t heard if the majority of shareholders decided to use their airplane for PTI’s political campaign,” he said. “[JWD Sugar Mills] is supposed to crush sugar, not the economy of Pakistan.”
The information minister said such misuse of funds was being carried out by a person who gives lectures the public on integrity and uprightness on a daily basis.
Rashid further said that the PTI chairman paid Rs0.1 million in income tax last year, asking him to justify his ‘lavish’ lifestyle and traveling expenses in his upcoming speech in Gujranwala.
“What other sources of income do you have?” he asked the PTI chief. “You’re traveling on stolen money.”
Tareen rejects Rashid’s claims
Rejecting the information minister’s claims, Tareen, while talking to Express News, accused Rashid of blatantly lying.
“Whenever Imran Khan has traveled in the plane, I have paid all the expenses myself,” he said. “I have all the documents since the day he has started using the aircraft.”
Tareen added that as long as he was paying for Imran's travel expenses, it should not be an issue to anyone as it was a matter between him and his party chief.
When asked that why the PTI chairman did not use commercial flights meant for the public, the secretary general said, “We wanted to reach Larkana at the time of Imran’s speech in the rally, and then he had to go back to attend the Islamabad sit-in. There were no flights then; would PIA run flights as per Imran’s wish?”