Pakistan: Former PM Imran Khan booked in connection with prohibited funding case

The Federal Investigation Agency, Pakistan's premier agency at national level to investigate federal crimes, has booked former prime minister Imran Khan and other members of his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) party in connection with their party allegedly received prohibited funding on Tuesday, reported the Pakistani media.

The case was filed by the state through FIA’s Corporate Banking Circle in Islamabad. The FIR stated that Arif Masood Naqvi — the owner of the Wooton Cricket Limited — transferred “ill-gotten” money to a United Bank Limited (UBL) account registered under the name of the PTI, reported the Dawn newspaper.

Besides Imran, PTI leaders Senator Saifullah Niazi, Sardar Tariq, Syed Younis, Aamir Kayani, Tariq Shafi and members of the party’s financial team and manager of a private bank have been nominated in the case.

The FIA opened its investigation into the party funds in August 2022 after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the verdict that the PTI had received illegal funds.

The FIA recently received approval from the federal Interior Ministry to file cases against party leaders for falsification and failure to disclose foreign cash transactions.

Subsequently, the FIA has sought permission from the federal Interior Ministry to register the case under sections 420, 406, 468, and 471A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against Imran and other members of PTI.

Incidentally, Imran on many occasions has called out the ECP chairman for biased behavior and only targeting PTI while ignoring foreign funding cases against other parties.