LONDON: A London-based PTI faction launched a £1 million legal campaign to raise finances, shaking the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
But the party’s legal team has distanced itself from the campaign. Accusing the UK organisation for profiting off the PTI chief’s release.
A solicitor, Rashad Yaqoob, said on Friday that Khan has asked him to expand his legal fight abroad through the Human Rights Legal Aid Foundation (HRLAF), founded on June 26, 2023, according to UK Companies House documents.
Interestingly, the organisation has never advocated for human rights. Following the PTI chairman’s orders, Yaqoob assembled a skilled team of UK lawyers, including Michael Mansfield. KC, Gareth Pierce, and Ben Emerson KC, to manage the legal processes.
The poster showed Khan’s Pakistan legal team as partners.
Immediately, the UK team requested Khan’s fans to give generously to take his case to international courts. Video interviews on pro-PTI stations reinforced the counsel and his team’s fundraising drive.
Khan’s Pakistani lawyer said he went underground and that the PTI legal team penetrated by spies and traitors minutes after the UK legal team requested funds. Other lawyers attacked HRLAF and its members.
Late at night, HRLAF posterist Sher Afzal Marwat tweeted. “The traitors in Imran Khan’s legal team and the PTI Core Committee have put my life in danger. The traitors in the PTI Core Committee are definitely present. They sent opponents and media members Core Committee records.
The legal team’s zoom meeting details/recordings leaked, putting my life and liberty at risk. My first time underground, I may captured by the chosen team at any time. I told partygoers and recorded audio messages about the chasers.
I went into hiding yesterday and am not sure if I am safe, but I have identified my chasers and submitted their names to a group of lawyers for legal action if I went missing. It’s harder to trust party insiders.”
Legal help to PTI president Naeem Haider Panjotha stated Khan had not instructed him to gather funds for his legal team.
“Beware, @ImranKhanPTI has not instructed his authorised legal team. The statement further clarifies that Imran Khan has not permitted anyone to collect funds. Thus, no one shall pay Imran Khan’s national or international legal battles. X, formerly Twitter, wrote, “Please avoid.”
Yaqoob told this reporter he represented PTI’s Khadija Shah, Sanam Raja, and Dr. Yasmin Rashid with others.
Zulfi Bukhari, PTI’s leader, denied any deal with the group.
Let me be clear! No legal team hired by Imran Khan or PTI. Nor does anyone have his or the party’s mandate. He commented on X that PTI has no connection to this entity or its fundraising.
The PTI legal team would notify people who tried to gather donations for the chairman, Barrister Gohar Khan stated.
Following Khan’s resignation, social media broadcasters have launched legal and political pleas to gather funds for PTI and Khan.
Senator Waqar Ahmed Khan, the former Pakistani minister for privatisation, and four members of his family fought Deutsche Bank over Billionaires’ Row property in north London with Yaqoob on their legal team.
Senator Khan lost a £140 million lawsuit and Deutsche Bank repossessed his UK assets.
