Islamabad: PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry questioned summons party leaders received from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), saying they did not hold public office in 2011-12 period in which party purportedly received prohibited funding.

“I do not understand in what capacity FIA is issuing notices to our leaders. These people were not public officeholders in 2011-12,” Chaudhry said at a news conference here. “We are, however, cooperating with FIA.” FIA constituted a five-member team to supervise inquiry teams of agency’s respective zones probing into prohibited funding case. Subsequently, several prominent PTI leaders Imran Ismail, Seema Zia, Mahmoodur Rasheed and Asad Qaiser were summoned by agency.

Fawad said that PTI would also launch an investigation into cases registered against its workers and leaders in Punjab after ‘Azadi March’. He said that team could summon Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, PML-N’s Ataullah Tarar and others. “They expect us to cooperate with FIA, we expect them same.”

 Talking about Election Commission of Pakistan’s verdict in case, Fawad insisted that details of all accounts should be provided. He called for conducting an annual audit of all political parties, adding that there should be no “leniency” in this regard. However, he regretted that Commission had become “a subsidiary of Pakistan Democratic Movement”. He said that party would approach courts for PML-N’s audit to be finalised within 15 days. He claimed that party had received Rs 10 million but had not declared funds. “There is no record of it.” He claimed PML-N had spent Rs 1.3 billion on media campaigns but had not mentioned any source. “They also used their accounts for money laundering.

This is case that ECP must hear and decide on.” Turning his guns to PPP, he said that ex-President Asif Ali Zardari headed one part of party while Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto headed another. “Explanation they gave was that one party funded other. But under ECP rules, no political party can fund another party. PPP has shown its expenses but has not revealed where money was spent.” Fawad questioned why electoral watchdog was “protecting” PPP and PML-N, urging scrutiny committee to announce its decision in these cases.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 08 2022

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