The corruption agenda: Javed Naseem to ‘continue Imran’s mission as independent MPA’

Lawmaker’s PTI membership was suspended after he failed to respond to a show-cause notice.

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly lawmaker Javed Naseem has announced he will continue to pursue Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s mission as an independent MPA even though the party has terminated his membership. 

“I am still loyal to Imran Khan and will continue to follow his agenda to stop corruption and nepotism as an independent candidate in the assembly,” Naseem told The Express Tribune on Sunday, adding he has been contacted by a number of K-P Assembly lawmakers.



Naseem insisted his party membership was terminated because of his struggle against corruption; not for taking a firm stance against Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. However, he voiced satisfaction at his decision to take a stand for the residents of Peshawar.

“PTI’s leadership cannot terminate my provincial assembly membership,” he added.

According to Naseem, 14 disgruntled PTI lawmakers have taken an initiative against corrupt elements. “I hope anyone who is issued a show-cause notice will also refuse to reply to it just like I did,” he said.

Naseem added, “I am sure Khan was taken onboard before terminating my party membership. I am not supposed to reply to selected leadership but to the party chairperson.”



Earlier, on Saturday, Naseem’s basic party membership was terminated after he failed to submit a reply to a show-cause notice issued by his party’s leadership. Naseem, elected from Peshawar, PK-3, had protested outside the Peshawar Press Club on October 5 against the PTI leadership and issued statements against them. This prompted the PTI leadership to issue a show-cause notice for breaching the party’s policy. According to a press statement issued on Saturday, PTI said as per directives and approval of the party’s provincial president Azam Swati, Naseem’s basic party membership was terminated.

Naseem had developed differences with the PTI leaders, especially Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. Elected from Peshawar city in the May 2013 general elections, Naseem and Khattak fell out a year ago. Naseem is member of the disgruntled forward bloc of PTI MPAs in the assembly and attended recent sessions with a black band on his mouth.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2014.