PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan put party maverick Sher Afzal Marwat on blast on Saturday after a video surfaced of him seemingly criticising party founder Imran Khan.
The PTI MNA, who is known for causing controversies, has previously accused both the US and Saudi Arabia of conspiring to topple the PTI government. The PTI had publicly distanced itself from his remarks while Marwat had chalked them off as his personal opinion, even as he continued to stick to them.
In February, the PTI had issued a show-cause notice to Marwat over remarks against party leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan that had triggered a controversy within the party.
He was issued a second show-cause notice in May for violating the party’s code of conduct and hurting its interests through his remarks against senior party leaders — Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz — and Saudi Arabia. Marwat was also removed from the party’s core and political committees on Imran’s direction following the maverick’s statements about Saudi Arabia.
A video doing the rounds on social media today, ostensibly a snippet from an interview with journalist Abrar Qureshi, showed Marwat saying: “Khan did wrong with me” and that Imran’s decisions hurt the party.
About a public protest call, Marwat could be heard saying: “Khan had to make this decision and he delayed it. If he had decided to take people out and to do it after Eidul Fitr then everyone would’ve known that Imran wants [people] to get out and that everyone has been assigned duties,” adding that the move would have separated those who complied and those who did not with the PTI founder’s order.
“Till now, Imran has not officially conveyed or announced any decision that the people come out for the recovery of the mandate or his freedom or that of the judiciary. Khan should have decided this,” Marwat said.
His social media team posted a message from him saying: “This video is edited. When the entire interview is broadcast, you will see it yourself.”
On his own X account, he said that his interview in London was not how it was being presented.
“I complained about my treatment but never compared myself to Khan sahib. The right to complain to a leader is innocent and should be recognised.”
Responding to the video during an interview on Geo News show ‘Naya Pakistan’, MNA Ali Muhammad said he was “saddened” by the remarks and could not believe them.
“I say with regret that I have never seen such a quick rise and fall. He should not have said this.”
He said that by talking against Imran, Marwat had lost the respect that the PTI had for the MNA “despite all the opposition you faced and we still defended you had played a role in a difficult time”.
But, Ali Muhammad said that when it came to saying anything against the party founder, “this is very wrong and is completely unacceptable because that person is giving sacrifice for the whole nation in Adiala Jail. I am very sad by what Marwat sahib has done.”
He said any “attack” on Imran from within or out was unacceptable, whether it was from friend or foe.
“I did not expect that Marwat would do this because the Pakhtun people and the nation have given him great respect because of Imran. I think he should make an unconditional apology on this not only from Imran but also the PTI’s workers who accorded him great respect in their hearts.”
He further said: “I say this with respect that you have really broken the hearts of PTI workers. You should not have talked against Imran.”
