Just a day after Sher Afzal Marwat’s removal from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur appealed to PTI’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, to review the decision.
During a meeting at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is currently detained, Gandapur briefly raised concerns over Marwat’s expulsion. However, Khan expressed dissatisfaction with Marwat’s repeated violations of party discipline, citing his strong statements as justification for his removal.
The discussion took place during a meeting between PTI leaders and Khan in connection with the GHQ attack case hearing. While Gandapur requested a reconsideration, Khan neither agreed nor refused to review the decision.
Following these directives, PTI’s Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi officially issued a notification confirming Marwat’s expulsion from the party. Additionally, the party is expected to demand his resignation as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA).
Marwat had previously been issued a show-cause notice last month for breaching party discipline, particularly over remarks against PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. A similar notice had been served to him in May last year, leading to the cancellation of his party membership and a call for his resignation. However, at the time, Khan had pardoned him, preventing any further action.
The notices were primarily linked to Marwat’s outspoken criticism of PTI’s negotiations with the coalition government and his questioning of Raja’s legitimacy as party secretary general, given that he had not contested intra-party elections.
Meanwhile, Raja has distanced himself from Marwat’s removal, stating that it was an internal party decision made by PTI’s leadership to uphold discipline. Speaking at the Supreme Court, he refused to comment further on the matter.
As per PTI’s internal protocol, Thursdays are designated as official meeting days for Khan. On this occasion, Gandapur led a delegation of senior PTI figures, including KP Minister Suhail Afridi, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Brigadier (retd) Musaddiq Abbasi, Seemabia Tahir, former KP Assembly Deputy Speaker Mushtaq Ghani, and Provincial Minister Taimur Jhagra.
The KP chief minister left Adiala Jail after a two-hour discussion with Khan but did not address the media.
Separately, PTI MNA Shehryar Afridi vowed to discuss Marwat’s case with Khan, emphasizing Marwat’s dedication to the party. Speaking outside the Peshawar High Court, Afridi praised Marwat’s contributions and expressed his intention to personally raise the issue with PTI’s founder.
