Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan terminates party member Faisal Vawda for sabotaging long march

ISLAMABAD: Citing party policy, former Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has terminated the membership of party leader Faisal Vawda after he claimed the party's Haqeeqi march would be "bloody," reported The Express Tribune.

Faisal Vawda earlier predicted "bloodshed" of several innocent people as well as some prominent PTI leaders ahead of the party's long march which was launched from Lahore on Friday. Vawda appeared on state-owned broadcaster PTV and "tried to damage" the PTI long march to Islamabad by claiming that the march would be "bloody". "Imran Khan's peaceful long march is our right but I am clearly telling you I am seeing blood, deaths, and coffins in this march," he had said.

The announcement of the 'basic membership' termination was made on a notification posted on the party's official Twitter account. The notification, signed by Imran Khan, stated that Vawda did not respond to the party's show cause notice issued on October 26 "for defying party policy" and thus, his membership has been terminated, reported The Express Tribune.

After Vawda's statement, PTI leaders accused him of sabotaging the long march and gave him two days for explaining the statement he made during a press conference.

PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi said that Vawda had "grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines". "This is in serious violation of party rules as per the constitution, therefore, you are required to submit a reply within two days of this notice stating why your party membership should not be canceled," the media portal said quoting Zaidi.

Zaidi said that until and unless he responds to the matter Vawda's party membership would remain suspended. He would also not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media, he added.

The PTI leaders as well as political observers, who saw the sudden twist as orchestrated from 'certain quarters' only against the party, smelled a rat in what they believed was a "strategically timed dog whistle" to put a dent in the party's narrative ahead of the long march.

Senator Ejaz Chaudhry said PTI rejected Vawda's press conference. "Everyone knows whose game Faisal Vawda is playing - the nation is fortunately very informed thanks to Imran Khan."

Former Sindh governor Imran Ismail said that he failed to understand on whose instruction was Faisal saying all this. "I am unable to understand what was the real purpose of today's press conference? Our long march is peaceful," he added.

Moreover, over the killing of TV anchor Arshad Sharif in Kenya, senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda said that the "plan was hatched" inside Pakistan, media reports said. (ANI)

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