Disgruntled members to take PTI to US courts

Election commission is already investigating the accusations

ISLAMABAD: Some members of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have decided to take the party to court in the US against alleged financial irregularities. Already these leaders have filed a case with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Akbar S Babar, one of the party’s founding members, has accused the party of receiving money in the form of donations from foreigners, including US national Barry C Schneps and US-born Indian Inder Dosanjh.

The ECP has already turned down the PTI’s plea that the electoral body does not have the authority to look into financial affairs of political parties.

Read: PTI chief wasting nation’s time: Hamza

“I have accepted the challenge of Punjab’s former governor Chaudhry Sarwar and decided to file a case in the US,” said Babar, who has served as the PTI’s information secretary, while talking to The Express Tribune on Sunday.



He said Sarwar had dared him to go ahead with filing a case abroad during a TV talk-show while claiming the party had not violated any laws in the UK or the US while collecting funds.

“We were waiting for the NA-122 by-election to take place,” Babar said. “Or, they [PTI] would have accused us of trying to influence the election campaign.”

Responding to a question about the show-cause notice issued to Imran by the party’s founding members, he said the PTI chairman was given two weeks to respond to the funding allegations but he did not answer.

The notice, which also warned of public agitation, was issued on September 20. “We have started preparations for a convention of founding members from across the country in Islamabad,” Babar added.

Read: PTI protests ‘violation of rules’ by ruling party

According to the charge sheet, Imran has been asked to explain his refusal to hold an inquiry against those who auctioned PTI tickets, his refusal to implement the internal election tribunal’s decisions, illegal appointments in violation of PTI’s constitution and for not honouring his commitment of introducing an honest and competent leadership through the 2013 general elections.

Commenting on the low voter turnout in NA-122 reported by the media, Babar said it once again reflected the party’s flawed policies and nepotism in giving party tickets to its blue-eyed candidates.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2015.