'never gave a penny' for Bani Gala's household expenses: Jahangir Tareen

The now-estranged PTI leader, Jahangir Khan Tareen, on Wednesday refuted former PTI member, retired Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed's statement about the former's alleged role in bearing most of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s monthly household expenses.

Tareen, seeking to set the record straight, issued a statement on Twitter.

Regardless of the current status of my relationship with Imran khan, the truth must be told. I did whatever was in my capacity to help PTI in the quest to build a new Pakistan but I never gave a penny for the household expenses of Bani Gala. Just want to set the record straight.

— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) December 15, 2021

He said that he ought to tell the truth regardless of the status of his relations with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"I have never paid a single penny for the household expenses of Bani Gala," Tareen wrote.

Tareen said that he did whatever was in his capacity to help PTI build a new Pakistan.

Wajihuddin Ahmed — who had resigned from the PTI back in 2016 — alleged that Tareen initially gave funds worth Rs3 million per month for the now-prime minister's household expenses, which was later increased to Rs5 million per month.

Speaking during a show on a private news channel, he said that the perception about Imran Khan being an honest man is "completely wrong".

“The man who doesn’t even pay for his shoelaces, how can you call that man honest?” Ahmed asked.

It may be recalled that Ahmed had recommended the removal of Tareen and Pervez Khattak from the party on allegations of rigging during the PTI party election. However, Imran Khan later expelled Ahmed from the party.

Earlier, responding to Wajihuddin’s claims, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry had said: "Jokers like Justice Wajihuddin say things like these to increase their importance.”

Addressing a press conference, the information minister had said: “Such people are not recognised by their families either so there is no need to pay much attention to them."

Moreover, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said the claims were "completely false and illogical".

"Whoever knows Imran Khan, knows his honesty and dignity. Wajih sahib often makes illogical remarks such as these in despair over being expelled from the party," he said in a tweet.