Foreign funding

No sovereign democratic state in the civilised world allows its political parties to receive funding from individuals, groups or state actors that belong to or living in a foreign country. Pakistan’s economy and its unfortunate citizens have suffered enough due to such irresponsible oversights. It is time for the authorities to clamp down on foreign funding.

If Pakistani expatriates wish to donate money to the political parties that they support, they must send this amount to their bank accounts of their Pakistan-based relatives from which these funds can be transferred through regular banking channels to the relevant political party. There should be no exceptions. In addition, no state institution and elected executive should have the discretionary powers to grant waivers.

Ali Malik Tariq ( Lahore )