PTI distances itself from MNA after controversial remarks on Malala

Spokesperson says Musarrat Ahmad Zeb's party membership was revoked two years ago


Danish Hussain May 21, 2017
MNA Musarrat Ahmad Zeb. PHOTO: EXPRESS

ISLAMABAD: While censuring a recent controversial statement by MNA Musarrat Zeb about Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday distanced itself not only from the lawmaker's statement, which it said "does not reflect the party policy", but also from the MNA.

The development came two days after Zeb, a lawmaker elected to a reserved seat on a PTI ticket, alleged that the 2012 attack on the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was staged by different groups including rights activists.

The statement not only earned severe backlash from rights group, but also from within the PTI, with party leadership denouncing her remarks. “Zeb does not represent PTI anymore. Even her basic party membership was terminated by the PTI for her open defiance of party discipline,” said PTI spokesperson Shafqat Mehmood.

Zeb was among four PTI MNAs whose party membership was revoked after they had refused to submit their resignation, as was desired by the PTI parliamentary committee, the highest internal decisionmaking body, during the 2014 sit-in staged by the party against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections.

Attack on Malala was staged, claims PTI MNA

“Neither is she a part of any decision-making body of the party nor does she hold basic membership,” Mehmood claimed, adding that her statement cannot be attributed to PTI.

According to sources, Zeb’s comments even invited the ire of PTI chief Imran Khan, who is a strong supporter of female education and has been pushing to increase female literacy in the province.

To a question on why the PTI did not make efforts to de-seat the lawmaker as she was selected on a reserved seat, the spokesperson said due to some legal lacunas in National Assembly and Election Commission of Pakistan rules, a political party cannot de-seat an MNA unless they fail to support the party line on a money bill or a no-confidence motion against a prime minister.

In 2012, Malala Yousafzai, then a student at the Khushal Public School in Swat, was returning home after appearing for her midterm examinations when militants had shot her. She suffered bullet injuries and was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Peshawar and later flown to London for further treatment.

Taliban spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan had confirmed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had attacked Yousafzai, calling her crusade for education rights an “obscenity”. He said if she survived, there would be further attacks on her life.

Zeb, however, recently stirred a controversy saying the entire incident was a pre-planned series of events. In a series of tweets, she claimed that she too had been approached by those groups for the same ‘drama’ but she refused to be a part of it.

Senate body directs probing Ehsanullah Ehsan in Malala attack case

“I was approached for the same drama but refused to partake as I was not interested in seeking asylum in another country,” she said. She further alleged that those who had conducted Yousafzai’s medical examination after the attack were all allotted plots by the government.

Zeb said she had broken her silence after years as there were other people who she felt proud of rather than Nobel laureate Yousafzai. “My conscience has compelled me to spill the beans.”

Zeb said that she would have remained silent, but after someone had tweeted that Zarmina Wazir, a woman from Fata who topped the CSS examinations, was inspired by Yousafzai. This compelled her to come out with the ‘truth’.

The parliamentarian claimed that Yousafzai could not read or write at the time she ‘supposedly’ wrote under the pseudonym Gul Makai.

“Did the students and teachers of the Army Public School leave the educational institute?” she also questioned.

“There were dozens of girls that refused to submit to the pressure and continued their studies and are now graduating,” she upheld. “Show me a single achievement of Malala.”

COMMENTS (3)

reader | 6 years ago | Reply in times of deceit. speaking the truth is. a. revolutionary act.
MS | 6 years ago | Reply She spoke what PTI and JI leaders and supporters say off the record. Everyone knows who opposed when a college in Swat was named after Malala. Stop this hypocrisy.
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