| Advertisement |
Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Pakistan's top federal investigatory agency on Saturday accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of misusing his bail status to avoid court appearances on charges of receiving prohibited funds. The Federal Investigation Agency issued the accusation as the Islamabad High Court summoned Khan for a Feb. 28 court appearance.
Advertisement
In September, the Election Commission of Pakistan leveled charges that Khan's Pakistan Movement for Justice party, had improperly received foreign funds.
The next month, the FIA also accused Khan and his party of receiving prohibited funds.
The former prime minister survived an assassination attempt during a political rally in November and has since had his interim bail extended on medical grounds as a result of his injured leg.
"After getting an interim bail, the accused is misusing the concessions and not appearing before this honorable court and in fact, he is not cooperating with the process of law and till date, neither he joined the investigation nor is he appearing before the court on one pretext or the other," the FIA said in a statement.
Investigators are asking for a medical board to evaluate Khan's health status, accusing him of getting his diagnosis from a hospital he himself owns.
Khan's supporters have denounced the charges against him as politically motivated.
He was removed from office by a controversial parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022. Khan unsuccessfully tried to stave off the vote by dissolving parliament but was removed shortly after Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled that he had acted unconstitutionally.
Khan blamed his removal on an international conspiracy, claiming the United States was retaliating against him for close relations with Russia and China.
