ISLAMABAD: One of the founding members of the ruling PTI, Hamid Khan, in a strong worded response to the show-cause notice issued to him, made it clear that he would not quit the party under any circumstances.

“The party is my sweat and blood,” he said in a nine-page response to the show-cause notice by PTI Secretary General Amir Mahmood Kiyani.

On Sunday, PTI suspended the basic membership of the senior lawyer and issued a show-cause notice to him for ‘defaming and maligning’ the party through his statements on print and electronic media.

Khan was asked to submit his reply within a week.

“I have spent thousands of man hours (sic) to give it its thought and direction. No opportunist, turncoat, land grabber and sugar or other corrupt mafias can force me out of the party,” said the reply adding staying within the limits of the law and the constitution, he will do everything possible to protect and defend his party membership.

“I will stand by my fellow party workers through thick and thin, come what may,” Hamid Khan said, adding he will be their voice.

“I will not abandon them to be victimised by outrageously evil elements that have entered the party,” Khan regretted.

Khan invited the wrath of the party leadership when he accused PTI of playing into the hands of the establishment during a TV show recently.

He had been one of the pioneer members who wrote the constitution of the party.

Khan said he came to know about the notice through the media.

It is strange that though the matter concerns the internal working of the party, yet the secretary general chose to release it to the media, print as well as electronic.

It is a highly improper conduct on his part, Khan said, adding since Kiyani had gone to the media, he too had the right to release his response to the media.

Khan said he was sad to learn that Kiyani was under inquiry on serious corruption charges that had arisen during his tenure as health minister.

He said the show-cause notices were required to be specific and detailed but, nevertheless, he does not hold the secretary general responsible for that. If the entire legal team of the government could not draft a proper notification for appointment of chief of army staff (COAS), as observed by the Supreme Court, how can he blame him for not being able to draft a proper show-cause notice, Khan regretted.

He asked when did he malign or defame the party which he loves more than the secretary general does. It is not possible to respond to such a vague, ambiguous and preposterous show-cause notice, based on unfounded allegations, he said.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2019