Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was influencing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) which was earlier set to indict him in the money laundering and sugar scam case on the day he took oath for the prime minister’s office.

Addressing the media outside Bani Gala along with Farukh Habib on Friday, the former information minister said that the “imported prime minister” tried to steal the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) record on the first day of their government, and is now manipulating the FIA’s record as well to give himself a clean chit in the money laundering case.

He said that PM Shehbaz cannot order transfers and postings in FIA.

“The Supreme Court should take action as it is a typical case of conflict of interest. If the courts do not take an action, PTI will file a petition itself,” he added.

Meanwhile, Farrukh Habib, while speaking on the occasion, demanded that the party funding cases of PTI, PML-N, and PPP be heard and decided together.

He said that his party welcomes the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) decision to conduct a day-to-day hearing of PTI’s party funding case, however, there should not be any discrimination among political parties.

“The ECP’s committees to scrutinise the bank accounts of PTI, PML-N, and PPP were formed simultaneously in March and April 2018. However, the scrutiny committee for PML-N and PPP remained dormant for the most part of the duration and delayed the scrutiny of their bank accounts,” Habib said, adding that ‘selected justice’ will raise serious questions over the credibility of the commission.

He called on the ECP to conduct day-to-day hearings of all parties’ cases and decide them together, “so that the people know the truth.”

Habib said PTI is the only political party that has the record of its 40,000 donors from across the world and is fully cooperating with the ECP with regard to party funding cases.

“In contrast, PML-N and PPP do not have the record millions of rupees’ funding, while they also kept dozens of foreign bank accounts undisclosed.”

“Party cannot be banned”

The PTI leader clarified that PTI is not facing a case on "foreign funding," but, "prohibited funding." He maintained that those thinking that the PTI can be banned under this prohibited funding case are living in a fool’s paradise.

“I request such 'intellectuals' to refer to the Section-VI of the Political Parties Order, 2002, which states that any 'prohibited funding' shall be confiscated in favour of the State without any mention of the ban on the party,” he explained.