Vawda issued notice, party membership suspended

ISLAMABAD: Soon after Faisal Vawda’s press conference claiming that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march would witness bloodshed, deaths and funerals, party chairman Imran Khan ordered to issue him a show-cause notice, as “his statement does not represent the party policy and views”.

The main party leaders rejected the claims and issued Vawda a show-cause notice “for giving statements against the party policy”. PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi issued a show-cause notice to Vawda, suspending his party membership. The notice read: “You have grossly violated discipline by giving statements against the party policies and guidelines.

“This is in serious violation of party rules as per constitution; therefore, you are required to submit a reply within two days of this notice, stating why your party membership should not be cancelled.

“Till that time, your party membership is suspended. You are not allowed to hold any party office, or represent the party in the media.” Zaidi said Vawda tried to damage the party’s long march as he cast aspersions behind the motives of the presser. He said when Khan had clearly issued instructions for all to remain peaceful, then what weight Vawda’s presser carried.

In a tweet, PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar said Vawda’s statement does not represent the party policy and views, adding that a show-cause notice would be issued to him. “President Sindh has been told on the instructions of PTI Chairman Imran Khan to issue a show-cause notice to him for violating the party policy”. In conversation with a private television channel, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that the party leader’s claims of bloodshed during the march were “false”.

“The PTI’s march will be peaceful,” Fawad said, voicing PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s statement that the march would see no violence and he would not allow his workers to be arrested.

“Frankly, I am surprised and confused at Faisal Vawda’s press conference. We were unaware of his press conference,” the senior PTI leader said in a talk with a private channel. He added that he would call Vawda and inquire about his media talk. PTI’s senior leader Imran Ismail also tweeted, saying that he did not know at whose behest, Faisal Vawda was speaking all that. “I fail to understand what the real purpose of today’s press conference was.

Our long march is peaceful; politics of dead bodies is not Imran Khan’s policy. Don’t do politics over Arshad Sharif martyr,” he wrote.

He said the long march will be peaceful and conspiracy to spoil it would fail. Zulfi Bokhari of PTI tweeted: “Has the PTV been devolved to Punjab or KPK? Is that why they just kindly aired Faisal Vawda’s press conference? Will they show all our press conferences daily from now on? Or was this one special,” he added.