Imran Holds Another Telethon to Raise Rs4.5 Billion

Islamabad: O n Sunday night, PTI chief Imran Khan hosted a second fundraiser to collect donations from North America for flood survivors.

According to party leader Faisal Javed, Pakistani nationals including expatriates had committed to donating over Rs4.5 billion to the fund aunched by Mr Khan to help flood-hit people.

During his first telethon , the PTI chief had “collected Rs5 billion” in pledges, out of which the party claims Rs3bn have been received.

Earlier in the day, Mr Khan for a third time refused to appear before the joint investigation team probing a terrorism charge against him in connection with his controversial remarks about a judge, Zeba Chaudhry.

The police had registered a terrorism case against the PTI chairman after he threatened the judge, alongside high-ups of the capital police, with consequences for sending his chief aide Shahbaz Gill on physical remand in spite of allegations of “custodial torture”.

Mr Khan has already skipped two hearings of the JIT and this was his third opportunity to join the investigation.

The police had summoned Mr Khan on Sunday at 6pm in connection with the case registered against him at the Margalla police station on Aug 20, but he failed to show up.Meanwhile, PTI leaders claimed he had already submitted a written response to the police wherein he refused to join the investigation or face the JIT. In his reply, Mr Khan’s lawyer claimed the “threats” against the judge could not be dealt with under terrorism law.

Telethon pledges

During the transmission on Sunday night, a US-based Pakistani citizen pledged $10 million to the ex-premier’s fund, while a Florida-based Pakistani pledged $50,000 to the fund.

One resident of Canada pledged to donate $25,000, while another pledged $100,000. An Attock-resident pledged Rs2.5m, while Muslim Care UK pledged 30,000 pounds to the fund.

A former European Parliament lawmaker said 64,000 pounds would be donated to the funds, while anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan said he and his friends had decided to contribute Rs36 million to the fund.

During the telethon, the ex-PM said Pakistan was the most vulnerable country in the world to climate change for which joint efforts were needed to mitigate the impact of global warming. About the donation pledged by Pakistanis at the last week telethon, Mr Khan said out of Rs5 billion, pledges of at least Rs3 billion have materialized.

Sania Nishtar, who is in charge of the funds, said data from the Ehsaas program would be used to distribute the amount among the survivors and assured that there would be no discrimination… - Dawn

Imran Holds Another Telethon to Raise Rs4.5 Billion

Courtesy Dawn

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