LONDON: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has snatched the national assembly ticket from a businessman who quit his British nationality on Imran Khan’s instructions and also spent tens of millions on providing security to Imran Khan, the PTI’s jailed founding father and the former prime minister.
PTI allotted NA-98 ticket for the Samundari constituency (Faisalabad-IV) to Imran Khan’s security chief Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman on January 12, 2024, but cancelled it a week later and allotted it to Mumtaz Ahmed, who is currently not in Pakistan and had quit PTI after submitting an affidavit that he will not take part in politics for at least five years.
According to a copy of the affidavit dated 20th of May 2023, Mumtaz Ahmed declared that he will not take part in politics for five years, will stay out and that he condemned violent attacks on Pakistani state institutions on the 9th May by PTI workers.
After approval of his NA ticket from the PTI, Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman had started his campaign on the “Radio” symbol allotted to him by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Two senior PTI leaders confirmed that Iftikhar Ghumman was issued a ticket on Imran Khan’s personal instructions but then his ticket was changed.
Imran had directed Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman to “prepare for the elections” and had assured him a general national assembly ticket.
Prior to starting his campaign, Mr Ghumman surrendered his British nationality around 16 months ago to comply with the Pakistani electoral laws in the hope he would run on the PTI ticket. The former PM had appreciated Ghumman for surrendering his British nationality and shifting to Pakistan full time to join PTI.
After Imran Khan’s ouster from power through a no confidence vote, it was Iftikhar Ghumman who provided round the clock, foolproof security to Imran Khan, including 10 bomb and bulletproof cars and around two dozen trained guards. He has so far paid tens of millions in the estimated costs for Khan’s security. His vehicles were seized by the authorities and remain in the police lock up but he continues to provide security to Bushra Bibi, the former First Lady.
PTI leaders who shared the story of Ghumman confirmed that he has also paid around half a million Dollars to get the bomb-proof container prepared for Imran Khan for his last Minar-e-Pakistan rally. It’s the same container that was tested for its authenticity by Saifullah Niazi and another PTI leader who fired AK-47 bullets on it for the testing purposes.
Iftikhar Ghumman faced several cases and he was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in an alleged money-laundering case last year. Imran Khan had tweeted: “My security in charge Iftikhar Ghumman is still in FIA custody. He was an overseas Pakistani who left everything & came to Pak to help in our mission for Haqiqi Azadi. He has been deliberately targeted to weaken my security & also to spread fear amongst the PTI hierarchy. We know who is behind all this.”
According to the FIA officials, Ghumman was running a fake international money-laundering network along with Qaisar Mushtaq and Asim Hussain. They said the entire network had been exposed and the people engaged in money laundering through Hundi and Hawala rounded up, adding that the racket was using more than 40 fake companies for transferring money to other countries.
Following the arrest, Ghumman’s brother-in-law Amir Khan held a press conference in London and rejected the FIA allegations.
Iftikhar Ghumman had two FIA cases against him. One case has been quashed while he awaits acquittal in the other.
Speaking to Geo and The News, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that Imran Khan had approved ticket for Ghumman. “There is no doubt that Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman has made a lot of sacrifices for the party. He’s deserving and has support of the founding father of the party but we have a system in which the local party makes decisions too.
“It was decided locally by the party and his ticket was allotted to another candidate. Also, Ghumman didn’t apply on any other seat. We are looking into his case and trying to resolve the matter.”
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