PTI sacks Pervez Khattak for asking workers to quit former ruling party

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday sacked former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) president Pervez Khattak from the party over his failure to respond to a “show cause notice” issued to him.

Khattak was informed about the termination of his membership in a letter sent to him by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan. The letter was also shared on PTI’s Twitter account.

In the letter, Omar had told the former defence minister that he was served with a “show cause notice” on June 21, and he had failed to provide a “satisfactory reply within the given stipulated time regarding contacting party members and inciting them to leave the party”.

“Now, therefore, you are served with this notice of termination from your basic membership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Your membership from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been terminated with immediate effect,” said the letter.

Last month, Khattak was issued the show cause notice for an explanation for allegedly inciting the members to leave the former ruling party.

The notice issued by the PTI secretary general required Khattak to explain his position on the anti-party move within seven days of the notice.

“It has come to the notice of the party leadership that you are contacting party members and inciting them to leave the party. In view of these reported activities, you are hereby called to explain yourself in writing within seven days of this notice,” the show-cause notice states.

It was also made clear in the notice that if his reply was found unsatisfactory or he did not respond, further action would be taken as per the party policy and rules.

Khattak, who served as the party’s secretary general and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the PTI government, had already announced he was quitting the post of PTI KP president.

Several politicians jumped PTI’s ship during the ongoing mass exodus, with many claiming to leave the party and bidding adieu to politics.

Most politicians in the exodus, which began after bigwigs of the Imran Khan-led political entity left the party one after another, include Fawad Chaudhry, Ali Zaidi, Mahmood Baqi Maulvi, Imran Ismail, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Fayaz ul Hassan Chohan and Murad Raas.

Many of the former PTI members have joined the newly-formed Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by the senior politician Jahangir Tareen, while some are exploring alternative options or distancing themselves from the party following the disruptive events of May 9.