After the British daily Financial Times (FT) published an investigation report how PTI raised funds through cricket matches organized under Wootton Cricket Ltd, a company owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi, PML-N leader Mohammad Zubair said. on Saturday what was the moment for The head of PTI Imran Khan “will come to clean water” accounting department for his party means and challenging the FT story in court.
Speech at a press conference in Islamabad, Zubair also called on Supreme Court accept suo motu notice and summon Imran in eight-year- a long case of prohibited funding, of which F.T. story was “small part”.
Zubair’s statements latest in line of criticism of PTI over Prohibited Funding Case and Order Requirements coalition for case closure.
Read: At the meeting with ECP officials, ruling coalition calls early announcement of PTI funding verdict
The Prohibited Funding Case, formerly called the Foreign Funding Case, was filed by Akbar S. Babar and has been pending since November 14, 2014. Babar, who was one of the founders of PTI but no longer affiliated with it’s supposedly serious financial violations in in party funding from Pakistan and abroad.
ESP reserved its verdict in a business last month.
Theft on published on Friday story Simon Clark – author of key persondeal book of business tycoon Arif Naqvi is a revelation how funds raised for charity cricket matches Was used for in rise of PTI.
Report says fees were paid to Wootton Cricket Ltd, which, despite its name, in fact a company registered in the Cayman Islands, owned by Naqvi and money used to fund PTI.
This led to a resumption of calls for conclusion of case of prohibited funding, as leaders from the ruling coalition stormy criticism on Imran and PTI.
Among them was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who tweeted: “Can this get more curse? Charade of The Financial Times exposed self-proclaimed honesty and righteousness. story which details the flow of foreign funding in PTI bank Accounts. Imran Niazi – bunch of massive contradictions, lies and hypocrisy.”
prime minister also dared Imran to sue for defamation against FT”for publication of an accusatory article.
Referring to the prime minister’s tweets, Zubair said during today’s press conference that he echoes Prime Minister Shehbaz’s calls. for Imran “report for [his party’s financing] here and do it against FT”.
“Submit a case and everything will be out in open, he added.
Further Commenting on theft story Zubair said it was just a story how illegal money collected for charity, was directed and transferred to the PTI account. And it wasn’t even announced.
According to him, now Imran and the entire leadership of PTI has an opportunity.
“If you are want continue to pose as the most honest, file a libel suit against FT and get an apology. And if they (FT) don’t apologize, file a case against them in British court, he repeated.
He also criticized PTI management over this is party protection after publication of in story.
“They say the whole nation knows that Imran Khan was fundraising,” Zubair said. But there are certain mechanisms for fundraising. The country is taking drastic measures. world for collection of funds, their direction, transfer to accounts and subsequent declaration in your country.”
“You, on on the other hand, they say that you will not consider [for your funds,” he criticised.
‘CJP should take suo motu notice’
Zubair also urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to take suo motu notice in the prohibited funding case and summon Imran.
“Why doesn’t he summon Imran. Who is he (Imran)? If all Pakistan can account [for their finances]when Imran Khan can’t?” – he asked.
He left on say if PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif could face legal proceedings and be held liable many times why Imran could not.
“Delays due to Imran, PTI”
Previously in at a press conference, the leader of the PML-N expressed regret that the case of prohibited funding was facing delays just because Imran and others of the PTI manual was not ready”give answers.”
He added what in 2014 when former PTI member Babar filed a lawsuit, he submitted “very clear proof” against in party with all relevant details, including all declared and undeclared sources of financing.
“Imran Khan claims to be the most honest, he speaks with higher pedestal, pointing fingers at others and blaming them of evasion accountabilityZubair continued. “We say, if you’re the most honest, explain yourself.”
But, as he claimed, Imran was involved in obstruction of a case for years. “Heat times appeals to the Supreme Court and others times to the Supreme Court and get decision [in his favour]or he is maneuvering to stop the proceedings in the ECP.”
“It’s been eight years now,” he said, adding that new article will pop up in in media telling stories every other day of alleged prohibited PTI funding.
PML-N leader said that Imran was speaking to the nation for years that Pakistan could not progress because there were different laws for Rich and poor calling for holding anyone facing charges are responsible.
“Yes, these are two different laws,” Zubair said, adding that the law was different. for in people and “the privileged Imran Khan, also commonly called laadla(blue-eyed boy).
He left on to criticize Imran, saying that the head of PTI refuses to report for finance in prohibited funding case.
“There is a clear financial violations,” he stressed, recalling that when Imran took government as prime minister in 2018, he committed to initiate the process of accountability from myself and my team.
“Where accountability now?” he asked how he went on to list several occasions of financial violations against Imran and other PTI leaders.
Zubair said he would continue to resume calls for final proceedings in prohibited finance case justice couldn’t be trampled.
“Now we will interrogate Imran Khan,” he said. resolve adding: “We don’t put you (PTI) behind bars. We only ask you to report for [your finances and] write a letter to the election commission asking for a hearing of your [prohibited funding] case on daily”.
“Our business is separate from yours”
Response to PTI demand for taking up similar cases of other parties together with what of his own, Zubair said that “things don’t work in thus”.
“We have also sent our answers. Why are you participating us in Your business? Your case is separate from ours,” he said, arguing that there was no such case. against PML-N.
We have given all the details of financing [to the ECP]which is normal activity.”
He then asked for an investigation of a business against PTI on daily and demanded that PTI “give answers”.
“The law is suspended for one human’
Further urge the ECP to pronounce the verdict in case, he asked how would people find system reliable if “the law remains suspended for one human”.
“I am not making any accusations,” he explained. “I only ask them not to keep back them decision and that the punishment will be met out in accordance with the law.”
He warned that the longer the sentence was delayed, more questions will arise.
When asked why they did not go to the Supreme Court (SC) on on the banned funding case, he said, “we’re going to be reaching out to every forum now.”
Court decisions on Article 63-A
Answering another question about the decision coalition expressing a lack of confidence in Sun and decides boycott trial, he substantiated his position, stating that there were reasons for in coalition clauses over court verdicts.
In obvious reference to SC decision announce the election of Hamza Shehbaz as head of the Punjab minister voidZubair said that “our point of view was the constitutional crisis in what do you have to decide on interpretation of Article 63-A”.
“We asked for a full court,” he said, adding: “They say that political parties cannot sit together for interest of country. Why can’t 15 judges come together?”
Moreover, according to him, some of SC decision were “unacceptable”.
“They said they were unconscious and were interpreting the law wrong in first time,” Zubair continued. “But both times the law was interpreted, it was PML-N, which was in loss.”
