The PTI has terminated the membership of musician Salman Ahmad for running a campaign against “the family of Imran Khan”, it emerged on Thursday

Ahmad had recently posted on X to criticise Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi for her political activities during the November 26 protests, sparking criticism from party supporters.

Last week, Imran, during a conversation with journalists after a court convened at the Adiala jail, had lambasted the singer for hurling baseless allegations against the former first lady, terming his X posts “foolish”.

A notification issued a day ago by the PTI Central Secretariat addressing the musician said he had “consistently sought to sow division and discontent” among the party’s members and supporters through “unwarranted and scurrilous posts” on social media.

“You are aware of those posts, including the posts against the family of Imran Khan.”

The notification said Ahmad’s basic membership was hereby terminated and he was expelled from the party with immediate effect. “You are further asked never to show any affiliation with PTI,” it continued.

The notification issued by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan added that through press releases issued by the PTI Core Committee, the party had told Ahmad to desist from posting objectionable posts and yet he had continued to defy Imran’s instructions despite “repeated warnings to the contrary”.

It added that the party had disassociated itself from his conduct and warned him about its consequences.

Ahmad had long been a supporter of the PTI, often singing songs at the party’s events. In 2022, he was appointed as the focal person for Imran on culture.

In 2016, he was briefly detained by the Islamabad police outside Imran’s Bani Gala residence while he was on his way to meet the cricketer-turned-politician.