Imran admits gambling to return his loans

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday admitted that he did gambling to return his loans.

In an interview with a private news channel, Imran Khan was asked by the host about ‘gambling proceeds’ in his book, to which the PTI chief said there was nothing wrong in it. Imran Khan said he was with his children during holidays and his (former) brother-in-law used to seek his advice on trends in cricket.

The PTI chief said he had to pay debt of Rs2 million for expenses in the 2002 elections and he had also sold his vehicle for this purpose. Imran said his brother-in-law was losing about Rs1 million in betting when he offered him advice on the condition that he (brother-in-law) will help him in paying the debt if he won over Rs1 million. “What a deal!” the host interrupted. The PTI chief said he gave advice to his brother-in-law for about three or four hours for betting during which he not only removed the Rs1 million deficit, but won Rs2 million more as well. 

The anchor told Imran Khan that this action might invoke Section 15, as gambling is illegal in Pakistan and the party may also be banned. Imran said the money was not transferred to the party as it was his personal loan and he returned the loan from Rs2 million won through gambling. He insisted that there was nothing wrong in it.