Pakistan: Major political parties hired firms in US for fundraising
Jul 31, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], July 31 : Major political parties of Pakistan - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML)- were found to hire firms in the US for fundraising.
According to the documents, the firms registered in the US were tasked to raise funds for these political parties. PTI hired the services of the highest number of firms for the purpose, according to the documents.
The documents revealed that a firm was registered under the name PTI USA LLC.
The documents also disclosed that another firm was registered under the name of Sajid Burki through which PTI collected USD 2.344 million in 2010. In 2014, a Pakistani-US citizen Aftab Shah transferred USD 75,000 to the party.
Similarly, Sajjad Burki and Faisal Irshad also raised USD 75,000 in 2015 in the US and funded the party with USD 117,000 in 2017, reported Business Recorder.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has been probing the funding of PTI for several years. The ECP has completed its investigation in the case. The probe was pending since 2014 and the case was filed by one of the PTI's founding members Akbar S Babar, but the verdict has not been announced yet.
Moreover, an explosive story on foreign funding has apparently exposed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) whose leader Imran Khan has always claimed high moral ground on the issues of corruption and accountability.
UK newspaper Financial Times revealed how the PTI accrued funds through cricket matches organised under Wootton Cricket Ltd, a company owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi, reported The Nation.
As per the report, Naqvi transferred three instalments directly to the PTI in 2013, adding up to a total of USD 2.12 million.
Apparently, Naqvi organised a charity fundraiser in the UK during the summer, the ultimate benefactor of which was the PTI, reported The Nation.
The report claimed that fees were paid to Wootton Cricket Ltd, which, despite the name, was in fact a Cayman Islands-incorporated company owned by Naqvi and the money was being used to bankroll the PTI.
The documents revealed that MQM-P also registered a firm as a non-profit organization (NPO) in the US. The address mentioned in the documents was 90 (Nine Zero) Karachi - which was the headquarters of MQM before it parted ways with founder Altaf Hussain.
Abdul Rehman and Aijaz Siddiqui raised funds for the political party abroad and these funds were used in various projects of the party, reported Business Recorder.
APML - which is headed by ex-president Pervez Musharraf - also registered All Pakistan Muslim League LLC in the US.
The political party hired the services of three firms along with the services of Raza Bukhari and Adeel Shah.
Some USD 270,000 were raised for Musharraf's party. The documents showed that APML raised USD 130,000 in 2011 and USD 33,500 in 2012, reported Business Recorder.
PPP also registered a firm in the US for fundraising in the name of former president Asif Ali Zardari.
