Fawad may rejoin PTI

Differences within party intensify over PAC top slot

ISLAMABAD:

 

Former Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry is likely to rejoin the PTI while the internal strife within the party over the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament has intensified, it emerged on Saturday.

According to party sources, PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has given his nod to Fawad’s return and they are both expected to meet next week.

They added that Fawad was also likely to be assigned an important responsibility in the PTI. The PTI leadership has also supported the former federal information minister’s return to the party.

At the same time, differences within the PTI have escalated over who will head the PAC with party leader Sher Afzal Marwat bashing his fellow Shibli Faraz on the issue.

Marwat has demanded that Shibli should retract his statement.

Earlier in the day, Shibli told the media that the PTI would name its candidate for the PAC top slot in a day or two. He added that the PTI founding chairman had nominated Marwat for the position but changed his mind after the National

Assembly speaker’s office raised an objection over his name.

The PTI leader continued that Imran had now nominated Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza for the slot.

“The PAC chairman should be from Punjab,” he added.

Shibli blamed the NA speaker for creating the confusion.

However, Marwat insisted that the the PTI founding chairman had nominated him for the PAC chairman’s position.
“He [Imran] has frequently mentioned me as his candidate for the slot,” said.

He added that if Shibli had said that the PTI founding chairman had nominated the SIC chief for the PAC chairmanship, it was his own desire, not that of Imran.

Marwat accused Shibli of misrepresenting the PTI founding chairman, claiming that Imran had never nominated Raza for the PAC chairmanship.