Termination of Sher Afzal Marwat's membership lays bare fissures in PTI
Pakistan
PTI terminates basic membership of Marwat over violation of party discipline
Party says four-member committee finds Marwat guilty of misconduct
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar says he will reverse the decision after consulting party founder Imran Khan
Marwat has been in hot waters after issuing statements against some leaders
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday terminated the basic party membership of Sher Afzal Marwat for alleged gross violations of party discipline, Dunya News reported.
The notification issued by PTI’s Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi cites Marwat's breach of party discipline as the reason for the termination.
It is pertinent to mention that a four-member inquiry committee was formed to investigate Marwat's violation of party discipline and issuing controversial statements.
Marwat was served a show-cause notice last month for violation of party discipline and making controversial statements. However, the inquiry committee found Marwat’s reply unsatisfactory.
BARRISTER GOHAR'S RESPONSE
Confusion prevails over the status of Marwat as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar, while responding to the development, said he was not aware of the cancellation of party membership of Marwat.
"I will meet the founder of PTI and discuss the situation with him," Gohar said.
Gohar said he did not know who had issued instructions and who was taking decisions.
"It has been brought to my knowledge that the PTI founder has not issued such instructions," Gohar added.
He said the membership of Sher Afzal Marwat was terminated without any committee who would call him for a response.
“I will meet Imran Khan today and reverse this notification. Sher Afzal Marwat is a member of our party and loyal to Imran Khan,” Gohar said.
SHOW-CAUSE NOTICE
Earlier, the PTI suspended Marwat's membership over alleged violation of party discipline. The notification, issued by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub, cited Marwat's breach of party discipline.
According to PTI sources, an inquiry committee had been formed to investigate the allegations. The committee comprised Raoof Hassan, retired Brig Musaddiq Abbasi, Firdous Shamim Naqvi and Dawood Khan Kakar.
In May, the party issued a show-cause notice to Marwat – an emerging political star whose mercurial rise seemingly proved to be short-lived – days after he openly criticised other leaders.
The notice issued by Omar Ayub, who is also the opposition leader in National Assembly, specifically mentioned violation of party policy and code of conduct.
The first charge said Marwat issued irresponsible statements that “harmed the party’s reputation and interests” despite being given clear instructions by the PTI founding chairman who had told him not to violate the PTI’s “known and stated position”.
At the same time, Marwat – who was elected to the National Assembly from NA-41, a constituency that covers Lakki Marwat district of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – was also accused that this approach had damaged with fellow party members and stakeholders through his actions and words.
The issuance of show-cause notice was not a surprise given the fact that Ayub announced that Marwat was removed from the PTI’s core and political committees on the party founder’s directions following his recent statements about Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, the disgruntled PTI leader had lashed out at senior party leaders over depriving him of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee’s chairmanship, alleging that Senator Shibli Faraz was the one to inform the party founder about the Saudi ambassador raising reservations regarding his nomination.
He had previously accused Saudi Arabia of orchestrating the removal of the PTI government in 2022 through a no-confidence motion.
