PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has ordered the removal of his special assistant, Mashal Azam Yousafzai, following a controversy sparked by her claims during a TV interview about the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s recent march on Islamabad.

However, a formal notification for her sacking is still awaited.

Ms Mashal is also the spokesperson for Bushra Bibi, the wife of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan.

In a late night development on Friday, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat sent a letter to the administration department, directing it to immediately de-notify Ms Mashal from her position as the special assistant to the chief minister.

“Necessary action in the matter may kindly be taken under intimation to this secretariat at the earliest,” read the letter.

Formal notification yet to be issued

The controversy arose after Ms Mashal appeared on Geo TV’s Naya Pakistan programme and dismissed reports that Bushra Bibi chaired a meeting of the PTI’s political committee after the Islamabad march.

“She [Bushra Bibi] has neither chaired nor attended any PTI meeting, and such claims are just rumours and false propaganda,” she said.

Regarding the PTI’s march on Islamabad, Ms Mashal insisted that detained party founder Imran Khan had directed Bushra Bibi to reach D-Chowk in the federal capital.

“Bushra Bibi’s decision to lead a march to D Chowk was in line with Imran Khan’s orders,” she said.

She, however, said that Bushra Bibi remained cut off from everyone for two days after the Islamabad protest ended.

“I was with her [Bushra Bibi] until 11:40pm on that night in Islamabad before getting separated and meeting again two days later in Peshawar,” she said.

Ms Mashal said that the PTI founder’s wife did not want to leave protesters even after law-enforcement personnel fired at her vehicle.

She, however, claimed that a chemical was thrown on the windshield of Bushra Bibi’s car, blurring the view, so she went to board another vehicle and wanted to return to work.

“I wasn’t aware why she did not return. She was told that she would return to protesters [after changing the car],” she said.

Regarding the PTI founder’s orders to hold a protest sit-in in Sangjani area on Islamabad’s outskirts, Ms Mashal said that they were indirectly conveyed that party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif met Imran Khan, who consented to the Sangjani sit-in, but Bushra Bibi insisted to speak to her husband over the phone.

“Bushra Bibi said that I want to hear the change of protest venue directly from Khan sahib and if he says so, we would not move even an inch ahead,” she claimed.

Ms Mashal, however, said that no one listened to Bushra Bibi.

She acknowledged that Imran Khan’s wife didn’t trust anyone after the change of protest venues in Lahore and Islamabad against his orders.

She also said that Bushra Bibi carried out political activities on the orders of the party’s founder.

After the interview went on air on Friday, the provincial government started the process for Ms Mashal’s de-notification as the aide to the chief minister.

She was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.

When contacted, adviser to chief minister for information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif downplayed the issue.

“It’s the chief minister’s prerogative to appoint or remove ministers,” he told Dawn.

Mr Saif said that he was not aware of the exact reasons for Ms Azam’s removal.

He,however, said reasons might become known over the next few days.

In Sept this year, Ms Azam who was then serving as special assistant to chief minister on social welfare department was removed from her position, only to be reappointed around two weeks later.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2024