ISLAMABAD: PTI and its chairman Imran Khan were heavily criticised by the coalition parties on Tuesday (today) after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ruled that the party received funding from prohibited sources.
The ECP, in a unanimous verdict, found that donations were taken from the United States of America, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates — amounting to billions of rupees.
Responding to the ECP's major decision, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the commission's verdict in the PTI's prohibited funding case "charge sheets Imran for violating the Constitution".
"[It] charge sheets Imran for violating the Constitution submitting false affidavits and accepting foreign money," he said.
"Proven yet again that he is a certified liar. Nation should ponder over the implications of his politics funded by foreigners," he added.
Hailing the ECP’s verdict in the PTI funding case, PML-N senior leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the judgment has proved Imran Khan is the "biggest thief".
Berating the PTI in his hard-hitting press conference following the judgment, Khaqan Abbasi said that Imran Khan received funding worth Rs1.5 billion illegally.
Those who gave funds to Imran Khan include Indian and Israeli citizens, he added.
A huge amount was also received from the US, the PML-N leader said, adding that the law does not allow to accept funds from even a single foreigner.
“If the amount was meant for welfare then how Rs550 million were transferred into the accounts of the political party,” asked the PTI leader.
The whole conspiracy stands exposed before the masses as the funds were received by the PTI from foreign nationals and companies to do politics in Pakistan, the PML-N leader said, adding “the law will take its course on the matter.”
In a tweet following the ECP order, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz chided Khan for being a "liar and money launderer".
"Khan is the only politician of Pakistan who has been proven, in a single judgment with irrefutable evidence, to be a liar, corrupt, a money launderer, and acting on the influence of external forces," she said.
"The idol of patriotism fell on its face today," she added.
PPP stalwart Farhatullah Babar hailed the CEC, ECP members, and Akbar S Babar — who filed the petition in 2014 — after the verdict.
"It’s most instructive that those painted as heroes thru relentless propaganda for years turn out to be villains. Those who stand out today in the nation’s forward march are the CEC #SikandarSultanRaja, @ECP_Pakistan, and @asbabar786," he said.
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