Upset at ‘an incident’, Salman to quit as PTI secretary general

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja Monday announced to step down from the party post after meeting the party founder Imran Khan today (Tuesday), citing the party’s legal engagements.

In a volley of messages on his social media account, he said that an incident has occurred on Monday that now requires a blunt decision from him. “My life is an open book, none of my actions contradict any principle. I do not accept compromise on intellectual and financial integrity, my legal services will remain available without compensation,” he wrote.

Salman Akram emphasised that he is not a traditional politician; neither a landlord nor a mill owner, but his small family stands with him. “We have endured all kinds of subtle attacks from within and outside the party, without any hesitation. We have happily accepted economic uncertainty by putting our strong advocacy behind us,” he maintained.

Salman had had tendered resignation last year in November as well but the party supremo had declined to accept it and directed him to continue serving as the party’s secretary general.

The PTI leader said last Tuesday he had sent a request to Imran Khan through Ali Bukhari Advocate that in view of the immense unjust punishments of party members, he should be allowed to step down from the post of secretary general and focus on legal matters.

He said that Imran had not accepted his request and that he was grateful to him for his confidence in him. “Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will request Imran Khan and step down from the post, my legal services will remain available without compensation,” he wrote.

Regarding the development, party sources say that Salman Akram Raja was disheartened because of an argument with Aleema Khan. The argument had taken place between Salman Akram Raja and Aleema Khan on the matter of the by-elections. Aleema Khan said that there was a clear instruction from the PTI founder not to participate in the by-elections, Geo News reported.

According to party sources, Salman Akram Raja informed Aleema Khan of the political committee’s position and the opinions of its members. Salman Akram Raja said that in the voting regarding participation in the by-elections, 9 spoke against it and 13 spoke in favour.

Meanwhile, in another blow to the Imran Khan-founded party, the anti-terrorism court (ATC), Faisalabad, on Monday sentenced PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Zartaj Gul and others to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the attack on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) stalwart Rana Sanaullah’s residence in Faisalabad during the May 9, 2023 riots.

The court, while announcing its verdict in a case registered at the Samanabad Police Station, Faisalabad, sentenced a total of 75 people out of the total 109 accused and acquitted 34 others.

Out of those sentenced, 59 were given 10-year imprisonment including Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Farah Afgha, Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Ahmad Chattha, Ansar Iqbal, Bilal Ijaz, Ashraf Sohna, Mehr Javed, Shakeel Niazi and others.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Rashid Javed and other PTI workers were given a three-year prison sentence.

The development adds to the mounting legal woes faced by the PTI, which has seen scores of leaders getting prison sentences over the May 9 riots while several others, including the former prime minister, remain behind bars in a plethora of cases.

Earlier this month, an ATC in Lahore sentenced PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and several others to 10 years in prison.

Also, the court, in the Jinnah House case, sentenced Rashid, Cheema, Chaudhry, Rasheed, Ayesha Ali Bhutta, Muhammad Fahim, Niaz Ahmed, Ali Hasan, Zain Ali, Asad Ali, Bilal Wajahat, Bilal Bashir, Muhammad Qasim, and Zain ul Hassan to 10 years each in prison.

However, the ATC exonerated Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sohail Khan, Muhammad Owais, Rafiuddin, Farid Khan, Salman Ahmed, Abdul Qadir, Faizan, Tayyab Sultan, Shahid Baig and Majid Ali.

Last week, PTI founder’s nephews Shershah and Shahrez — sons of Aleema Khan — were arrested over their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots.

Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Waqas Akram criticised the Faisalabad ATC decision and vowed that the party would relentlessly continue its just struggle for rule of law, constitutional supremacy, and genuine democracy, come what may.

He said the party leaders committed no crime, but are being punished solely for standing firmly against unconstitutional measures, the trampling of laws, gross human rights violations, the paralysis of state institutions, and the ruthless suppression of free speech.

Meanwhile senior PTI leader and former minister Hammad Azhar has decided not to contest the upcoming by-elections on the instruction of his mother.

In a statement on his social media account, Hammad said that he has nominated his cousin and father’s nephew Chaudhry Arsalan Zaheer to take part in the electoral process.

“I have no desire to be a part of form 47 parliament that is full of fake MPs. Also, last time my 82 year old father contested, he was harassed by police, arrested and my home repeatedly smashed,” he wrote.

He explained, “as the only son and sole male heir of the family, I do not want my mother to go through another trauma and on her instructions I have nominated my cousin and father’s nephew Chaudhry Arsalan Zaheer to contest in my place in case the party decided to not boycott the election in my constituency. Imran Khan Zindabad”.