Glasgow charity accused of party-political bias

Finance | Vibeka Mair | 17 Feb 2009

A Scottish MSP has called on the Charity Commission to investigate whether Glasgow-based charity, Pakistan Foundation International (PFI), has broken rules over political neutrality.

PFI, which is chaired by Labour’s Glasgow Central MP Mohammad Sarwar, raises money for vulnerable Pakistanis abroad and in the UK.

However, SNP MSP Sandra White (pictured) told Charity News Alert that she was suspicious that the charity was being used as an attempt to win votes in the Pakistani community.

In a letter to Commission chair Dame Suzi Leather, White wrote: “It seems astonishing that an organisation like the Pakistan Foundation, which is clearly pursuing a very definitive political party stance and agenda, has managed to register as a charity and go three years without publishing accounts.”

PFI’s accounts going back to 2005 were three years overdue when they were submitted to the Charity Commission last month – and the annual returns have still not been filed.

White said she was suspicious that PFI had filed their accounts just days after the Charity Commission received her letter.

White also complained that politicians from other parties were never invited to speak at fundraising events and most of the foundation’s board was made up of Labour members.

Claims of bias ‘unfounded’

However, Mohammed Rajak, general secretary for PFI, said White’s claims were “unfounded”, asserting that its supporters and employees are cross-party.

Rajak added that the delay in filing its accounts was due to a misunderstanding between the charity’s office in Glasgow and its office in London.

“We have also now filed our annual returns and they should appear on the Charity Commission website in seven days,” he said.

Kenneth Dibble, executive director of legal and compliance issues at the Charity Commission has promised White that the Commission will “open an assessment to explore the concerns” raised in her letter.

Who's Who: Vibeka Mair | Suzi Leather

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