PTI prohibited funding: FIA launches probe, forms 6-member team

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has formed a six-member probe team to launch an investigation into Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prohibited funding case, ARY News reported on Friday.

The FIA has made progress on the investigation in the PTI prohibited funding case after the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). A six-member probe team was formed by the intelligence agency.

Sources told ARY News that Director Amna Baig will lead the investigation team.

READ: PDM FILES REFERENCE WITH ECP, SEEKS IMRAN KHAN’S DISQUALIFICATION

Sources added that four employees nominated in the ECP report were included in the initial investigation. The employees who recorded their initial testimonies to the FIA included Muhammad Rafique, Tahir Iqbal and Muhammad Arshad.

Scope of probe expanded

The concerned authorities have expanded the scope of the probe against PTI in the prohibited funding case. A five-member special monitoring team was formed by the intelligence agency.

The monitoring team will coordinate with the zonal inquiry team in Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta and Faisalabad.

The zonal committees will collect records of the assets owned by Imran Khan-led PTI, whereas, the inquiries will be conducted under the Political Parties Act 2002. The monitoring teams will be comprised of five members.

Director Training Athar Waheed will head the monitoring team, whereas, the other members included Khalid Anees, Khawaja Hammad, Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmed and Ijaz Ahmed Sheikh. A notification was also issued by the FIA Islamabad in this regard.

READ: IHC ISSUES NOTICE TO FIA OVER ACTION AGAINST PTI SECRETARIAT STAFFER

Yesterday, the federal government decided to file a disqualification reference against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan after the verdict of the prohibited funding case.

The federal cabinet approved the recommendation to file a disqualification reference against PTI Chief and former prime minister Imran Khan and ordered the FIA to launch a money laundering inquiry into fake bank accounts used by the political party.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in her press conference yesterday that the PTI used overall 16 bank accounts that were not found on the records. She alleged that PTI used donations to the charity as party funds and an inquiry will be conducted into it.

She detailed that the inquiry committee will be comprised of FIA and representatives of all banks. “For the first time in Pakistan, a political party is declared a foreign-funded party. The accounts of the PTI secretariat employees were used for foreign funding.”

Aurangzeb said that PTI was declared a ‘foreign-funded party’ in light of the ECP verdict. “The government is bound to send a declaration to the Supreme Court (SC) following the ECP verdict. The declaration will be presented before the federal cabinet for its approval to send it to the SC after Ashura.”