Govt has directed FIA to probe PTI's foreign funding case: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will carry out a complete investigation into PTI's foreign funding case, said Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday following the government's cabinet meeting. 

Aurangzeb, during a press conference in the federal cabinet, said that an inquiry has been started against "all those involved in this crime", starting today. 

"The government will take an action in the light of the Election Commission of Pakistan's verdict and there will be an investigation as to where the funds were used," she said, adding that "all of them would have been in jail if the verdict had come during Imran Khan's tenure."

The information minister highlighted that the government had nothing to do with the foreign funding case, and it was Akbar S Babar — the founding member of the PTI — who filed a petition.

“The PTI has been declared a foreign-aided party by the ECP in its decision which was issued after eight years under the Political Parties Order 2002 and the Election Act 2017,” she said.

"It has been eight years and the PTI still hasn't provided any answers. The State Bank of Pakistan showed records in the ECP which showed that the PTI had postponed the hearing 75 times during these years," she said, adding that the Khan-led has been declared a "foreign-funded party".

The information minister announced that the government has decided to file a declaration against PTI — in a bid to get the party dissolved — in the Supreme Court.

"The PTI failed to declare 16 accounts. The accounts were opened in the names of the party leaders where they used to receive money," she added.

Shedding light on the relief measures being carried out for the flood victims in Balochistan, Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the flood-affected areas.

"PM Shehbaz directed to give Rs1 million as compensation to the families that lost their loved ones and Rs500,00 to those whose houses were destroyed," said the PML-N leader.

The minister added that the premier issued instructions to the administration for the immediate rehabilitation of the victims.