Salman warns Aliya of disciplinary action over tweet

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Salman Akram Raja got angry over the statement of PTI Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza, saying she shouldn’t have spoken out about the Lahore event, which he claimed was a success.

Talking to the media outside the Adiala jail, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja said that Alia Hamza should not have tweeted about the Lahore event.

Reacting angrily to queries by the media, Salman Akram Raja alleged that the controversy stemmed from ‘stupidity and conspiracy’. He said those who didn’t attend did so voluntarily, downplaying the invitation issue. He questioned the motive behind a tweet after the press conference, rejecting it and warning that similar tweets would not be tolerated in future.

Raja said attendance at the press conference wasn’t mandatory, adding that he attended solely because the Chief Minister was there, as it wouldn’t have looked right for the CM to hold a solo presser. He emphasized that anyone interested could have joined without needing an invitation. Salman clarified that no one was being sacked but emphasized that party members must fulfill their duties and avoid unnecessary actions like tweeting. He said that whoever made a mistake should apologize, there is no need to contact, Alia Hamza’s job is to mobilize Punjab, let her do her job. Alia Hamza’s job is not to tweet. Raja upheld the founder’s deadline, saying no one comprehends the 90-day timeline. “We will run a movement under the orders of the founder.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s parliamentary leader in the Senate Barrister Syed Ali Zafar reacted strongly to the aggressive media talk by PTI’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja against the party’s Chief Organiser Punjab Aliya Hamza.

During Geo’s Capital Talk show, when a clip of Salman Akam’s media talk was shown, Senator Ali Zafar emphasized that political leaders should refrain from using inflammatory tone and language and called for calm and patient communication. He continued that they all were working according to the party ideology and none had the right to ‘undermine’ one another. “No one has the right to speak in such a loud way even if there is a need to criticize. When emotions run high, it’s crucial to take a step back, calm down, and then engage in a thoughtful conversation,” he advised.

The PTI senator expressed his disappointment and apologized for the oversight, noting that while the PTI event in Lahore was well-organized, the absence of an invitation to the party’s chief organizer for Punjab was a significant lapse given the importance of her role. Zafar acknowledged that Aliya Hamza’s grievance was valid, noting that she was available and willing to attend the news conference. He emphasized that given Imran Khan had entrusted her with a key party role, such oversights shouldn’t recur.