Daily Times

PTI leader Shahbaz Gill Sunday accused former prime minister and senior vice-president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of taking “bribes” from an Indian company. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Gill said that his and Abbasi’s accounts were in the same bank, urging the latter to disclose the details of both accounts.

“Under what pretext Shahid Khaqan Abbasi took Rs140 million from an Indian company,” he questioned, adding that the former premier had received three telegraphic transfers (TTs) when he was the petroleum minister. The PTI leader also said that he had the details of the transactions and these could be verified as well, adding that one transaction took place on January 3 and another on January 30, 2017.

“Shahid Khaqan has been giving an impression that he is honest but this is far from reality,” he said and added that the PML-N leader had served as petroleum minister on more than one occasion. Moreover, Gill also said that former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had directed to speed up the relief efforts, adding that a briefing was also given to him in this regard.

He said that Imran Khan will meet MPAs of six divisions. He also said that a meeting also took place for Ehsaas Programme. Earlier this week, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said he had urged ECP officials to “decide the case of prohibited foreign funding as soon as possible”. “The prohibited funding case has been ongoing for the last eight years,” he said. “The election law says that if a party takes money from a foreign individual, it has to be declared.”

“The people of Pakistan have the right to know where Imran Khan was taking money from.” In this regard, he said, the evidence was very clear. “Money was sourced from outside and used for political purposes in Pakistan,” Abbasi said. “Imran Khan hid records from the Election Commission. The PTI chairman is trying to pressurise the CEC through personal attacks.” Abbasi also referred to a Financial Times report during the media talk. It investigated how the PTI accrued funds through cricket matches organised under Wootton Cricket Ltd, a company owned by Abraaj Group founder Arif Naqvi. The report titled ‘The strange case of the cricket match that helped fund Imran Khan’s political rise’ was published on Friday and said: “Naqvi transferred three instalments directly to the PTI in 2013 adding up to a total of $2.12 million.”