Mashal Yousafzai dismissed as special assistant to K-P CM

Mashal's dismissal follows her interview about Bushra Bibi’s actions during PTI’s November protest.

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Mashal Yousafzai, the former spokesperson for Bushra Bibi, wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has been sacked from her position as Special Assistant to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The Chief Minister’s Secretariat issued a notification confirming her dismissal, Express News reported.

Mashal Yousafzai herself confirmed the news, stating that her sacking was due to the statements she made in a recent interview with a private news channel.

In the interview, Mashal Yousafzai revealed the circumstances surrounding Bushra Bibi’s decision to head to D-Chowk during the November 24 PTI protest.

She clarified that after Bushra Bibi returned from the protest, they lost contact due to a stampede and only spoke again two days later.

Mashal Yousafzai revealed that during the protest, Bushra Bibi repeatedly mentioned that her husband, Imran Khan, had ordered the march to D-Chowk.

She also confirmed that Bushra Bibi's car windscreen had been damaged by chemicals, severely impairing her visibility.

"Despite suggestions to change the car and continue to the protest site, they diverted her route to Mansehra instead. Bushra Bibi's sister, Maryam Watoo, was not with her, and having been on the ground, I can confirm this," Mashal Yousafzai added.

Earlier this year in April, Mishal Yousafzai was accused of requesting the purchase of a vehicle for herself and the secretary from the Department of Social Welfare, Women Development, and Zakat, in violation of the K-P government’s austerity policy.

Resignation rumours rife as PTI in disarray

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur reportedly offered to resign from the post of provincial president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), amid severe criticism of the senior party leadership over a botched march on Islamabad's D-Chowk earlier this week.

The Political Committee of the PTI met at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar on Thursday for a post-protest assessment meeting, attended by senior party leaders, including Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Information Secretary Waqas Akram, National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, and others.

Reportedly, PTI founder Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, who was at the forefront of the November 24-26 protest march from K-P to D-Chowk, was also invited to the meeting, but she did not participate in the party's deliberations.

On November 13, incarcerated PTI founder gave the "final call" for the protest march for his release. There were high expectations that the PTI leadership would emerge, descend upon the federal capital and stay put until their demand was met.

The workers had hoped that the leadership would come up with a different plan this time to achieve the objectives, but it all ended in a nightmarish scenario, when many leaders were a no-show, while those present in the march fled the scene as soon as the authorities launched a crackdown.

In the wake of severe criticism of the senior leadership from within the party, the meeting in Peshawar discussed the situation after the Islamabad protest, the possibility of Governor's rule in K-P, where the PTI was in government, and the future course of action, according to sources.