ISLAMABAD: Confu­sion surrounds the expulsion of Sher Afzal Marwat from PTI after a notification went viral on social media mentioning that his membership has been cancelled for gross violation/breach of discipline.

While party’s senior leader Advocate Shoaib Shaheen confirmed to Dawn that Mr Marwat was expelled from the PTI, some other party sources claimed the notification was ‘fake’.

Mr Marwat was on notice and was asked to restrict himself from giving statements to media. A committee was also set-up to monitor his statements, media appearance and posts on social media.

“The committee has come to a conclusion that Sher Afzal Marwat has no regard for the rules and discipline of the party and he considers himself above the party regulations consequentially badly affected the image of the party and party narrative,” read the letter apparently issued by PTI additional secretary general Firdous Shamim Naqvi.

“On the basis of findings of the committee and his latest statement and complaints received, the committee has recommended termination of his membership and the same has been approved by the founding chairman Imran Khan,” it added.

The notification being circulated on social media also quoted the committee as telling Mr Marwat to resign from the National Assembly and seek re-election.

Also, according to sources within the PTI, the announcement was shared in the PTI core committee group of WhatsApp. But some other sources in the PTI claimed the notification was ‘fake’ as people like him could not be expelled when the party founder Imran Khan considered them ‘an asset’.

Sources said the core committee met on Friday and its key decisions were shared but there was no mention of Mr Marwat expulsion. “It seems a fake notification,” source reiterated.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2024