'Imran Khan destroyed Pakistan's economy, CPEC for foreign funds': Marriyum Aurangzeb

Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of destroying the country’s economy, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in exchange of foreign funds, which were used in the ‘Conspiracy Project’ to be used for weakening the Parliamentary system and democracy. 

"A conspiracy project, launched by Imran Khan, was executed in the country through the foreign funds received by his party during different periods including 2008-13, 2013-18 and 2018-22," the Express Tribune quoted Marriyum Aurangzeb as saying.

'Milestones set in exchange for foreign funding'

Imran Khan was given certain targets to be achieved in exchange for the funds he had received, claimed Pakistan’s minister for information and broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb. She further elaborated and said, "Imran tried to weaken the parliamentary system and democracy in 2013 under the project which came into effect in 2008," and added the PTI chief incited his workers to vandalise the Supreme Court building and launch a campaign of civil disobedience to bring political instability in the country.

Khan also damaged the Pakistani economy by rendering the youth jobless and he is responsible for the current economic turmoil, as per the commitments made to the foreign funders, The Express Tribune quoted Aurangzeb. "These were the milestones, delivery points and commitments which Imran made to his funders in exchange for the foreign funding," she said, the PTI workers had to ask Imran Khan where the funds have to be utilised. 

PTI foreign funding case

The verdict by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the foreign funding case also exposed Imran Khan before the country, said Aurangzeb. "Imran was miserably exposed before the nation after the ECP verdict in the PTI prohibited funding case." It’s important to note here that the ECP on August 2 said that Imran Khan’s party PTI received ‘Prohibited foreign donations’ and also issued a showcause notice to the party. 

The Express Tribune quoted the minister as saying, ''Khan consistently misled the nation over an ECP probe for eight years and also commented the funds were also accepted by some PTI leaders such as Asad Qaiser, Imran Ismail, Shah Farman, Saifullah Niazi and others.''

It’s important to note the foreign funding case was filed by the PTI founder Akbar S Babar, who levelled allegations of financial fraud in the funding received by the PTI from inside Pakistan and abroad.

Image: AP, ANI