PTI suspends Mufti Qawi's party membership over Qandeel Baloch controversy

Move comes after video of ex-Ruet-e-Hilal Committee member with infamous 'actor and singer' went viral on social...

ISLAMABAD: The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suspended on Wednesday Mufti Abdul Qawi's party membership following his controversial selfies and videos with model Qandeel Baloch emerged on social media.

“PTI has suspended basic membership of Mufti Abdul Qawi,” said a statement issued by the party’s media cell.

Qawi had joined the PTI in 2013 and was appointed as president religious affairs Punjab. He was instrumental in arranging meetings of religious scholars with the party leadership.



Qawi was not an active member of the party; however, he joined the 2014's 126-day sit-in at D-Chowk, party sources told The Express Tribune.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs also suspended Mufti Qawi’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee membership.

A day earlier, during a Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs JUI-F senator Hafiz Hamdullah took a jibe at the senate member over the video.

Hamdullah quipped Qandeel Baloch should be part of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.  “If we can have Mufti Qavi in the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, I think we can have Qandeel Baloch in this team as well.”