Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has launched a fresh attack against former party member Fawad Chaudhry, claiming that PTI founder Imran Khan had informed him of Chaudhry's "shady" involvement in the regime change operation.
Marwat asserted that Khan had described Chaudhry's role as "suspicious," alleging that he collaborated with then-army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Marwat's comments follow Chaudhry's criticism of the current PTI leadership, accusing them of hindering the release of Khan and other leaders from jail due to poor political strategy.
The internal turmoil within PTI has led to public disputes among its leaders. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and senior leader Asad Qaiser have urged Chaudhry to refrain from criticising the party leadership.
Imran Khan has acknowledged the factionalism within PTI and is scheduled to meet both factions in Adiala Jail.
Read: Fawad Chaudhry says PTI leaders urging him not to criticise leadership
Earlier this week, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan stated in an interview on a local news channel that Chaudhry had been expelled from PTI after joining another party, thus forfeiting his right to comment on PTI matters.
He also mentioned that certain individuals were promoting a narrative against PTI's top leadership on social media, emphasising that there was no intention to reintegrate those who had left.
Marwat dismissed Chaudhry's claim that he joined Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan's group on Khan's orders as a blatant lie.
This statement refers to Chaudhry's presence at the launch of the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) in June last year, a party founded by Tareen and Aleem, primarily consisting of PTI deserters who left after the May 9 riots and subsequent crackdown.
Marwat stressed that PTI views Chaudhry's role with suspicion, accusing him of acting against the party's interests and serving as a messenger to General Bajwa. "People like him fled when the party needed them most," he remarked.
Also Read: PTI's Raoof Hasan alleges judiciary deliberately stalling legal proceedings
Since his ouster via a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, Khan has repeatedly accused Gen Bajwa of orchestrating the "regime change" that led to his government's downfall. Initially, Khan blamed the United States for the move.
Marwat downplayed Chaudhry's legal troubles, describing the cases against him as "mere eyewash." He asserted that Chaudhry's arrest was a ploy to rejoin the party.
"If he [Chaudhry] returns, what about the others who left?" Marwat questioned. He also alleged that Chaudhry enjoyed VIP treatment while in custody due to his connections.
Marwat revealed that Khan had summoned him for a meeting, which he plans to attend upon his return to Pakistan. "I will meet the PTI founder by July 15 or 16," said Marwat, who is currently in Britain.
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