ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) firebrand leader Sher Afzal Marwat came out all guns blazing on Wednesday against fellow party leaders Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub after he was denied a meeting with party founder Imran Khan at Adiala jail a second time this week.
Addressing the media outside the prison, Marwat said he had never before been disallowed a meeting with the former premier since his incarceration.
He said he wanted to discuss matters with Imran earlier but since he was not allowed a meeting he felt compelled to bring the issues in front of the media instead.
“Even today, the jail superintendent didn’t arrange the meeting,” he maintained. The PTI leader claimed that Shibli Faraz, the party’s opposition leader in the Senate, said that “making me the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will not be acceptable to the PML-N”.
“My own people are pulling me down,” Marwat regretted.
Initially nominated by Imran as the PAC chairman, Marwat’s nomination was retracted after he faced criticism from the party leadership.
The political committee of the PTI replaced Marwat with Sheikh Waqas Akram.
The PTI leader alleged that Faraz told Imran “the Saudi ambassador asked for me to not be appointed the [PAC] chairman”.
“I don’t know if the Saudi ambassador’s message was delivered correctly or not. I don’t want anything to do with this committee,” the PTI leader stated.
“Consider me out of this race. I don’t want this,” he added.
Criticising the party’s recent lack of activity, Marwat maintained that he revived the PTI in Sindh and K-P and added that he ensured all contesting members reached their constituencies for the election campaign.
However, the PTI leader expressed dismay at what he termed being sidelined from the party. “When I came on February 8, they sidelined me. They’re pulling strings from behind the scenes.”
He further added the former premier had also cleared the matter during a political committee meeting. “I was not told that the political committee will vote,” said Marwat while elaborating the controversy surrounding the PAC chief slot.
Marwat noted that the political committee had voted against him.
He also said that he wanted to hold a rally in Lahore but was not permitted to. “I refuse to work with him [Shibli Faraz],” Marwat said.
The PTI leader also addressed the accusation of wanting to replace Imran, he said if he wanted to take the position, he would have achieved it by resorting to flattery.
“If Khan says to resign from the MNA position, I will resign in a moment,” he said.
Marwat maintained that the PTI founding leader had nominated Ali Zafar for the position of opposition leader. However, he said that Shibli claimed the slot as “ he wouldn’t be arrested”.
Earlier this month, Imran reportedly removed Marwat from key party positions, including as a focal person and from the group responsible for vetting individuals permitted to meet Khan at Adiala Jail.
The latest development adds to a series of controversies involving Marwat, who has previously been blamed for internal discord within the party.
Additionally, Marwat was instructed to disband his social media team. These decisions were said to have been made based on recommendations from the PTI core committee. –Agencies
