PTI internal intrigues come out in the open

Party lawyer claims recording of meetings being leaked

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to investigate the claims made by party’s counsel Sher Afzal Khan Marwat regarding the existence of individuals within the party’s core committee and legal team who are “jeopardising his security by leaking sensitive party information to adversaries”.

“…the traitors in the Khan legal team and the PTI Core Committee have put my life in danger. The presence of the traitors in the PTI Core Committee is beyond any doubt. They have passed on recordings of the core committee meetings to the opponents and even to media persons,” Marwat stated on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

The PTI lawyer feared for his life, saying he had gone into hiding.

“Shockingly, the Legal team's Zoom meetings details/recordings have been shared with outsiders, which has put my life and liberty in serious jeopardy. I have gone underground for the first time, and I may be caught by the designated team anytime,” he said on X.

“I let the people at the party know and recorded voice messages about those chasing me. Yesterday, I went into hiding, and I am unsure if I am safe, but I have identified my chasers and sent their names to a group of lawyers for legal action in case I go missing,” he added.

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“It is increasingly becoming difficult to trust people within the very close circles of the party. If I am allowed by the relevant persons in the party and if I survive the hunt, I will share the names of the traitors very soon.”

The senior leadership of the party took note of Marwat’s tweet and resolved to initiate a thorough investigation into his claims.

The PTI spokesperson maintained that the party was currently traversing a critical phase, with the core committee diligently managing day-to-day operations in accordance with Imran Khan’s directives.

He reiterated that the party's legal team comprises “skilled, diligent, and loyal experts striving to uphold justice in an environment characterised by lawlessness and severe reprisals against leaders and workers, including the party chairman”.

He conveyed the party's appreciation for their dedication to upholding the rule of law and pursuing justice despite oppressive circumstances.

Additionally, the spokesperson suggested that Advocate Marwat should address his concerns through the party's official channels rather than resorting to the social media platform.

His statements should be seen as his personal opinions, as the party is committed to conducting a thorough inquiry into the matter, the spokesperson said.

Considering the ambitious attempts to undermine PTI's strength, the possibility of internal resentment, division, and conspiracy cannot be dismissed, he added.

The spokesperson stressed that the PTI’s unity would be safeguarded through the collective decision-making process, and urged Marwat to collaborate with the party to substantiate his observations and perceptions.

Meanwhile, Marwat returned to X and removed his initial statement.

"I have been advised by the party leadership to delete the post and leave the matter of the compromised individuals to Chairman PTI for resolution. Nonetheless, I had not named any individual and has thus no vicarious liability about speculations.”