A report in the Financial Times claimed that Naqvi, a prominent Pakistani businessman and founder of the Dubai-based Abraj Group, hosted a cricket tournament from 2010 to 2012 at his country estate in the Oxfordshire village of Wootton and the proceeds came from charity fundraisers. used. To bankroll Imran’s party.
The report said that Naqvi directly transferred three installments Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) totaled $2.12 million in 2013.
According to a UK-based publication, guests attending the “Wooton T20 Cup” were asked to pay between £2,000 and £2,500 to participate. The money apparently went to unspecified “philanthropic causes”.
The report said the fees were paid to Wooton Cricket Limited, a Cayman Islands-incorporated company owned by Naqvi, and the money was being used to control Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Notably, Imran himself was invited to participate in the league along with several PTI members, and was even “persuaded to take the field” at Wootn.
“Funds poured into Wooton Cricket from companies and individuals, including at least £2 million from a minister in the UAE government, who is also a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family,” the FT report said.
The report claimed that Naqvi exchanged emails with a colleague about transferring another $1.2 million to PTI.
“Six days after the $2 million arrived in the Wootton Cricket bank account, Naqvi transferred $1.2 million to Pakistan in two installments. Rafiq Lakhani, AbRaz’s senior executive responsible for managing the cash flow, wrote in an email to Naqvi. The transfers were intended for PTI,” the report said.
The explosive claims made in the report come at a time when ousted Imran Khan is facing trouble at home in an alleged banned funding case.
Political parties in Pakistan are not allowed to receive money from foreign nationals and companies.
According to Pakistan-based Geo TV, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had been investigating the party’s funding since 2014, when founder Akbar S Babar alleged major irregularities in the party’s finances, including funding from outside Pakistan.
While the matter is over, the date of the verdict is yet to be announced by the voting panel.
It was earlier reported that Naqvi had funded Imran Khan’s political party. However, the actual source of the money was not disclosed.
Meanwhile, in response to FT’s questions, Imran Khan wrote back saying that he had gone to “a fundraising event which was attended by several PTI supporters”.
The FT report described the timing as “critical” for Khan to collect funds ahead of the 2013 general elections due in May.
According to the publication, Naqvi worked closely with other Pakistani businessmen to raise funds for his campaign, Geo News reported.