Ayesha Gulalai hints at forming her own PTI faction

Estranged PTI MNA says some party MNAs and MPAs are in touch with her for forming splinter group led by her

Estranged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Ayesha Gulalai has hinted at forming a splinter group of disgruntled members of the party.

Speaking to reporters outside the election commission office in Islamabad, Gulalai, while referring to PTI chief Imran Khan, said a liar and hypocrite had tainted the image of the party.

"The people who Imran Khan tried to get out of his way are ready to carry the party forward under my leadership," she added.

She maintained that some PTI MNAs and MPAs were in touch with her for this purpose.



"A man won't be worshipped like a god in the rallies we will stage," she said taking a jibe at Khan.

"We will teach young men how to treat and respect their mothers and sisters."

Gulalai said the PTI chief's key men were part of a land mafia in Lahore and corrupt people like Pervez Khattak in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

She added that she was sad to see a capable person like Dr Yasmin Rashid lose the NA-10 by-election.

"She [Dr Yasmin] lost the election because of Imran Khan," she maintained.

Gulalai said Khan lacked morals and ethics and had not even visited dengue fever patients in K-P, where the PTI was the ruling party, fearing that he would contract the infection.



"He [Khan] has defrauded Pakistanis living abroad of their money  and has the gall to criticise state institutions," she remarked.

"I respect state institutions and will appear before the election commission whenever it summons me."

On August 1, Gulalai had accused the PTI chief and his ‘gang’ of sending lewd text messages to women workers, saying they were constantly harassed within the party.

According to the disgruntled lawmaker, victims of harassment in Pakistan were not listened to unless they commit suicide or take a similar adverse step to get themselves noticed.

The PTI chief had dismissed the allegations and written a letter to the National Assembly speaker seeking the termination of Gulalai’s parliament membership.



A copy of the letter was also submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

In the letter, the PTI chief had requested the speaker and the chief election commissioner to take action against Gulalai, an MNA from South Waziristan elected on a reserved seat for women, under Article 63-A (2) of the Constitution.

Khan, in his letter, submitted that in violation of rules, Gulalai did not vote for Sheikh Rashid, the party’s candidate for the seat of the prime minister.

He added that the PTI had issued a show cause notices to Gulalai but she had not responded to them. Therefore, he contended, action should be taken against Gulalai Article 63-A (2) of the Constitution for not following the party’s directives.