Washington: Sajjad Burki, Imran Khan’s advisor and Head of Pakistan Tahreek E Insaaf’s USA head, has reportedly sent $30,000 to Pakistan while he received around $ 2 million in donations.
For over a decade, PTI has employed several lobbying firms in the US, primarily to advance its agenda and foster connections with American and international media outlets.
The leaders of PTI USA, namely Sajjad Burki and Atif Khan, have been actively lobbying for donations and spearheading a campaign.
However, their efforts to push for sanctions against Pakistan by the US and to persuade the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to halt aid to Pakistan have been unsuccessful thus far. They even staged a protest outside the IMF headquarters.
Under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Exhibit, Pakistani-American supporters of PTI enlisted lobbying firms for 45 days from January 16th to March 1st, 2024. They aimed to influence the 2024 General Elections in Pakistan and launch a campaign against the Pakistan armed forces.
According to documents released by an investigative news site based in Islamabad, Burki established the PTI company on November 7th, 2018, shortly after Imran Khan was elected Prime Minister. A manager named Umer Khan is also mentioned in the documents.
None of the donations sent to Pakistan have been received from three leading US businessmen from the past two years, stated a PTI insider in the USA.
Many insiders of PTI have said that Sajjad Burki and Atif Khan got the donations in the Name of Imran Khan. However, no audit has been conducted about the whereabouts of over $1.8 million received from three businessmen and contributions from over a dozen professional doctors, engineers, and IT experts who support PTI.
According to evidence and statements from PTI insiders, Burki created Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf USA LIC and misused the limited liability company to dishonestly collect donations for his party, which he then diverted for personal purposes and sent only a tiny portion to PTI’s account in Pakistan.
There is no evidence of where the leftover money has been while Sajjid Burki is being suspected as he is acquainted with Aleema Khan and Imran Khan, as stated by a PTI insider.
The Twitter profiles of Sajjad Burki and Atif Khan showed that they have been conducting a campaign against the Pakistan Army by employing various techniques of information warfare, both openly and discreetly, to undermine the credibility of Pakistan’s institutions.
Since Imran Khan’s government was terminated, Burki and Atif Khan, also his advisors, have been actively trying to persuade the USA to impose sanctions on Pakistan. They operate in the US on behalf of Aleema Khan to handle donations for NAMAL University.
Both frequently share videos on Twitter and other platforms featuring meetings with US Senators, where they make unsubstantiated accusations against Pakistani institutions. They receive assistance from disgraced Shehbaz Gill, a former advisor to Imran Khan, and guitarist Salman Ahmed, known for spreading false information on his social media accounts.
Now, Atif Khan identifies himself as the “former Member of Prime Minister Task Force/Focal Person Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis during PTI Government” and currently serves as a member of the PTI Core Committee, appointed by Imran Khan while he was in jail. On the other hand, Burki describes himself as the “Focal person for USA to Chairman PTI Imran Khan” and a “Past President PTI USA.”
PTI insiders suggest that various individuals, including Burki, oppose Imran Khan’s release from prison because it would significantly impact their businesses.
Burki, also involved with Namal University, was once seen as a close ally of Imran Khan. However, his connections with several US politicians linked to India have raised suspicions about his role in leading PTI USA.
On February 21st, Sajjad Burki participated in a video session with Haider Mehdi and Adil Raja, during which they collectively spread disinformation about Pakistan’s institutions, making unsubstantiated claims without providing any evidence.
On February 27th, Burki shared a tweet featuring a letter by Representatives Greg Casar and Susan Wild, urging the Biden Administration not to acknowledge the democratically elected government in Pakistan.
Burki shared a video on his Twitter handle where he is seated next to Marya Flores, the Congresswoman, stating false information regarding Pakistan’s General Elections on March 2nd.
Previously,
On February 14th, Burki tweeted urging overseas Pakistanis to halt sending remittances to Pakistan, which would leave their families financially vulnerable. Recently, he and other PTI-affiliated social media accounts have been encouraging Pakistani expats to use informal and often illegal channels for remittance transfers. This campaign seemingly aims to worsen financial strains for the Government of Pakistan, but it violates both US and Pakistani money laundering laws.
These tweets expose Burki’s open collaboration with entities hostile to Pakistan, working against its interests in the US. Presenting false information for lobbying is deemed criminal, and Sajjad Burki may face legal consequences in American jurisdiction for his repeated actions against Pakistan and its institutions. Despite this, Burki appears to prioritize personal gains, financial or otherwise, through his association with PTI.
Similarly, Atif Khan’s tweets indicate his involvement in a systematic campaign against Pakistan’s armed forces, with no attempt to conceal his biases.
On 4th March, Atif tweeted a video titled: “America suffers by supporting Military Generals.” This video was purposely made to instigate the people of Pakistan to conduct violence against their institutions.
Atif tweeted a video titled “America suffers by supporting Military Generals,” which appears to be intentionally crafted to incite violence among the people of Pakistan against their institutions.
PTI USA has been utilizing lobbying firms for years to pressure the Pakistani armed forces and close cases against Imran Khan.
A senior PTI leader revealed that Sajjad Burki has been responsible for hiring these firms, primarily targeting the Pakistan Army and seeking funds from anti-Pakistan forces, including Indian donors linked to RAW, the Indian spy agency.
Pakistani-American PTI supporter Fayaz Qureshi recently hired a lobbying firm called “LGS LLC,” led by Stephen Payne, for 45 days from January 16th to March 1st, 2024.
The firm was paid $50,000 to target Pakistani institutions, as announced on the official website of the US Department of Justice. This marks the third consultant PTI and its supporters hired in the US since April 2022, following Imran Khan’s ousting.
In March 2023, PTI enlisted Praia Consultants, LLC of Washington, for six months for $8,333.00 monthly to support the party’s objectives.
In 2022, PTI USA presented as a party catering to Pakistani Americans in New York. It hired Fenton/Arlook, a consulting firm, for six months at $25,000 per month to handle public and media relations. Atif Khan and Sajjad Burki confirmed the hiring for “election observation.” Notably, Fenton/Arlook is led by Robert Grenier, a former CIA Islamabad Station Chief who now works privately with the CIA.
These connections to the American intelligence community have sparked concerns in Islamabad regarding PTI’s lobbying efforts, especially overseas. Recently, PTI leaders have distanced themselves from Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi due to their ties with foreign intelligence services.
PTI holds considerable influence in the Pakistani expat community in North America, which has sway with lawmakers and substantial financial resources. However, it’s unclear to this community that Sajjad Burki and Atif Khan use these funds for personal gain.
PTI insiders believe that the approach of engaging in external lobbying is harmful to both Pakistan and PTI. They argue that domestically, it erodes public trust in governance, worsens political and economic instability, and fosters social unrest. It also promotes damaging narratives of Pakistan being under American influence.
Externally, this lobbying has increased scrutiny of Pakistan’s electoral process, with many countries issuing unusually harsh statements compared to similar situations in Bangladesh and Egypt. This has cast doubt on the legitimacy of Pakistan’s political leadership.
It’s now apparent that PTI affiliates involved in these activities were primarily driven by financial gain from misappropriated donations rather than ideological convictions.
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