Imran Khan’s PTI accepted illegal donations: Pak EC

Pakistan's ex-premier Imran Khan's party accepted millions of dollars in illegal funds from foreign individuals and groups, the election commission ruled yesterday. The case dates back to 2014 when a disgruntled founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a case against his party leadership accusing it of financial irregularities. The Election Commission Pakistan found that Khan's party concealed 16 bank accounts and accepted donations from foreigners or foreign groups based in Australia, Canada, the UAE and the Cayman Islands. Pakistani law bars political parties from receiving funds and donations from foreign individuals and companies. Responding to the decision, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the party had taken funds from "overseas Pakistanis", not foreign nationals. PTI has been sent a notice to explain the prohibited funds, or it can challenge the order in court. The commission meanwhile could pursue confiscating the prohibited funds, while the government could take the case to the Supreme Court to ban Khan's PTI party.