Startling disclosures: PTI received funds ‘from Jewish, Indian lobbies’

Party’s founding member claims Imran knew about funding but took no action

ISLAMABAD: One of the founding members of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that the party has been receiving funds from Jewish and Indian lobbies for furthering their agendas.

The allegation was levelled during a television programme by PTI’s founding member Akbar S Babar, who has submitted what he calls documentary evidence with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to a report of the Jewish Funding Directory, foreigners, including American Barry C. Schneps and US-born Indian Indur Dosanjh, had been funding the PTI for lobbying in their favour and interests.Babar, responding to the report, said an audit in 2011 had revealed illegal funding in the party but its report was not made public. He claimed he had asked the PTI chairman to audit the funds received from foreigners but he had refused to do so.

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Babar filed a case against the party on November 14, 2014, pointing out the incoming funds.

During the hearing of his petition in the ECP, the PTI lawyer raised objections that the commission did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case. The ECP, however, rejected his argument. In May, the party changed its lawyer for the second time and nominated Anwar Mansoor Khan to pursue the case.

Babar alleged the PTI’s audit report neither mentions the said case
nor contains information about foreign funding.

To a question, he said the petition against the PTI and its chief would be decided on October 8. “I hope the judges will give a verdict on merit,” he added.
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PTI leader Ali Muhammad agreed that the issue needs to be investigated. He said the investigation should cover all political parties, whose leaders rule Pakistan but own palaces in Dubai and England. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Danyal Aziz said it was the ECP’s responsibility to keep an eye on foreign funding to all parties and to stop and seize such funds.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2015.