ISLAMABAD: A day after the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) called for a ban on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for accepting prohibited funds, Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, warned the government against trying to push the party against the wall, saying imposing a ban on it or its chair Imran Khan was “beyond its control”.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Chaudhry observed Khan enjoyed immense public support, and said that no one should think of “sidelining him from mainstream politics”.
He claimed the government was “running away” from snap elections as it feared defeat at the hands of the PTI.
His presser came a day after the elections oversight body ruled the former prime minister accepted illegal donations to his political party from abroad. It’s a key first step toward a possible ban on Khan and his party from politics.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concluded that Khan concealed bank accounts and received funds from companies based in the United States, Britain, Australia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries. It also said there could be additional action taken against Khan and his party.
Following the judgement, Nawaz Sharif, disgraced former prime minister, urged the government to take legal action against Khan and his party.
“[…] I will strongly urge the government […] to play their role, let us put an end to evil forever,” Sharif told reporters in London where he’s living in self-exile to escape graft cases against him back home.
“Whatever action law and the Constitution suggest against him [Khan], let’s take that action immediately, take it immediately. This person has destroyed the society of Pakistan [sic].”
On Wednesday, Chaudhry pointed out that Article 15 of the Elections Act, 2017, outlined the process for dissolving a political party. However, he added the ECP had no authority to take such a measure.
He regretted the ECP was being used as a “tool” by the ruling coalition.
He also lamented the fact that the commission did not seek an explanation from the PTI about the individuals funding the party and declared them to be “non-Pakistanis and foreigners” without conducting a fact-check.
“One of the people included was Romita Shetty, an American [of Indian origin]. She shared a joint bank account with her [Pakistani] husband, Nasir Hussain. But her donation has been declared as prohibited by the ECP,” Chaudhry said, adding there were more examples of such discrepancies.
Chaudhry also accused the government of running a campaign against Pakistan nationals living abroad, aiming to “label them as non-Pakistanis” just because they support Khan.
He said overseas Pakistanis were outraged by the ECP ruling and were now sending more donations than ever.
He went on to say his party would soon demand the government seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly. “We are deliberating upon the date for it,” he added.
