PTI leader Omar Ayub on Thursday announced that party leader Sher Afzal Marwat has been removed from the party’s core and political committees on the direction of party founder Imran Khan following the maverick’s recent statements about Saudi Arabia.
A day ago, Marwat had lashed out at senior party figures for what he called depriving him of the coveted position of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). He had alleged that Senate opposition leader Shibli Faraz was the one to inform Imran about the Saudi ambassador raising reservations regarding Marwat’s nomination.
He had said that he did not want the chairmanship of a committee over which the Saudi government could exert influence by making demands.
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.
Addressing a press conference on the matter outside Adiala Jail today after meeting Imran, Ayub said: “Sher Afzal Marwat was respected and held in great importance by Imran Khan for his splendid work.”
However, he said Imran had also instructed Marwat repeatedly to not violate party policy and remain within its bounds.
“Unfortunately, Imran Khan said: ‘Sher Afzal Marwat has dealt uncountable loss to the PTI’s interests and relationship with Saudi Arabia, and by extension, Imran’s personal relations with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, because of his misleading statements.’”
Ayub said Imran had taken “strict notice” of the impact of Marwat’s statements on the party’s relations with Saudi Arabia.
Thus, he said: “Imran has ordered that Sher Afzal Marwat be removed from the core committee and the PTI political committee immediately,” adding that he had also directed the political committee to decide what disciplinary action should be taken against the maverick.
Ayub said that Imran also ordered that Marwat be immediately issued a show-cause notice to which he must respond.
Meanwhile, Marwat said in a post on X that he had already announced his resignation from the bodies during a meeting of the political committee a day ago.
He alleged that the development was already being shared on the media on Wednesday but today Ayub announced Imran’s instructions to remove him.
“This means that the decision was made in advance and shared with the media and today only Khan sahib’s name is attached to it,” he claimed, adding that he would not believe any statement unless conveyed to him by Imran or through Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
“I am resting and will speak only when Khan sahib listens to me and then decides on the issues. The media is requested to wait for my reply until then. However, I will stand by all the decisions of Khan sahib.”
A day ago, he had alleged that “some powerful organ” was behind the “defamation” campaign against him.