PTI distances itself from YouTubers Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced dissociation from veterans and YouTubers Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi and asked people not to trust them.

In a video statement, PTI leader Asad Qaiser, while flanked by Sher Afzal Marwat and other party leaders, said their party did not have any association with Raja and Mehdi. “The PTI has its own media and spokespersons, therefore, the statement issued by only these official platforms should be acknowledged,” Qaiser said slamming their slanderous campaign against Marwat.

The PTI leader said earlier the same YouTubers spearheaded social media campaigns against Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Parvez Elahi as well. He also said the PTI leaders never spoke against the military but their struggle related to the constitution and law would continue. He quoted the PTI founder as saying that the country and army belonged to him. “We just want supremacy of the constitution and law,” he maintained.

On November 25, 2023, the two retired officers of the Pakistan Army, Raja and Mehdi, had been convicted and sentenced for “inciting sedition” under the Army Act and violations of the provisions of the Official Secrets Act.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said, “Major (retired) Adil Farooq Raja and Captain (retired) Haider Raza Mehdi, both retired officers of the Pakistan Army, were convicted and sentenced through Field General Court Martial (FGCM).

“The retired officers have been sentenced under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 for the charges of inciting sedition among army personnel from the discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state.”

The military’s media wing had said that the court of competent jurisdiction convicted and adjudged both individuals on the date of 7th and 9th October 2023, through a due judicial process. Major (retd) Raja had been given 14 years of rigorous imprisonment while Captain (retd) Mehdi was awarded 12 years of rigorous imprisonment, it had said.

“Pursuant to the awarded sentence, the ranks of both officers have been forfeited on November 21, 2023,” the ISPR had added. Both the court-martialled former servicemen are based outside Pakistan at the moment.