ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) charity funds were invested in two offshore companies.

The former prime minister made these remarks during the hearing of a Rs10 billion defamation case filed by him against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in connection with the latter’s allegations of misuse of cancer hospital donations.

Imran Khan appeared before the district and sessions court in Islamabad through video link and denied the allegations levelled by Khawaja Asif.

During the cross-examination, Khan said: “I don’t know the decisions made by the Shaukat Khanum Hospital. The board of the hospital does not consult me before making decisions. Now, I came to know that the hospital invested funds in two offshore companies.”

In 2008, the hospital’s funds worth $3 million had been invested in a housing project but the amount had been returned to the hospital in 2015, Khan told the court.

Khan said: “Shaukat Khanum Hospital is the [country’] biggest health charity. I am the highest fundraising person in Pakistan. Khawaja Asif levelled baseless allegations against me.”

He maintained that nobody would donate if doubts were cast on their spending, adding that he wanted to “save the hospital [from shutting down]”.

PTI is the only party in the country that runs on donations, Khan said. He pleaded with the court to decide the case at the earliest.

The court adjourned the hearing till March 4.