ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on Monday its virtual fundraiser telethon raised over $264,000 in less than three hours, despite nationwide Internet disruptions on Sunday evening that were confirmed by an independent Internet watchdog.
As Pakistan gears up for elections scheduled for February 8, the PTI launched an election fundraising telethon on Sunday evening to attract contributions from party supporters both within and outside Pakistan. However, netizens complained of disruptions at around 6pm and said they were unable to access social media platforms across the country.
NetBlocks, a London-based Internet watchdog, confirmed a “nation-scale disruption” to social media platforms across Pakistan such as X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) did not issue any statement in response.
Pakistan experienced similar disruptions last month when Khan’s party held an online rally.
“In less than 3 hours of fundraising in #PTIFundraisingTelethon, following figures have been raised: Local Donations: More than Rs. 40 Million ($144,177), Overseas Donations: More than $120,000,” the party wrote on X.
The party blamed the caretaker government for the Internet disruptions, saying it was “making a mockery of the country in the world and drastically damaging an already decimated economy.”
“These petty acts of aggression are useless in the face of resolve of an entire nation,” it said.
Khan, a 71-year-old former cricket star, has been embroiled in a tangle of political and legal battles since he was ousted as prime minister in April 2022. He has not been seen in public since he was jailed for three years in August for unlawfully selling state gifts while in office from 2018 to 2022.
The ex-premier, who denies any wrongdoing and says the charges against him are “politically motivated,” has accused Pakistan’s powerful military, the caretaker government and his political rivals of colluding to keep him and his party away from elections. All three deny the allegations.
The PTI has been striving to launch its election campaign in Khan’s absence. It held a virtual public gathering last month which the party claimed was attended by millions all over the country.
