Hamid refuses to bow out of party

ISLAMABAD: Hamid Khan, who is one of the founding members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has released a disparagingly strong worded response to the show-cause notice issued recently to him

Asserting himself no opportunist, turncoat, land grabber, he said that sugar orother corrupt mafias could not force him out of the party. In the nine-page response, he made it clear that he would not quit PTI under any circumstances. "The party is my sweat and blood. I have spent thousands of hours to give it its thought and direction…," he maintained. Hamid Khan declared that he would do everything possible, within the limits of the law and the Constitution, to protect and defend his party membership.

"I will stand by my fellow party workers through thick and thin, come what may, I will be their voice. I will not abandon them to be victimised by outrageously evil elements that have entered the party,” he retorted.

On Sunday, to the surprise of many, PTI suspended his basic party membership and issued to him a show-cause notice for ‘defaming and maligning the party through his statements on print and electronic media. The notice, however, did not go into details of the statements.

Hamid Khan said he was sad to learn that PTI Secretary General Amir Mehmood Kiyani was under inquiry on serious corruption charges that had arisen during his tenure as health minister. "I hope that you have cleared yourself of such charges because you should not be serving in such an important capacity within PTI, being yourself under cloud. It can embarrass the party. So, for the good of the party, you should have yourself cleared at the earliest,” he emphasised.

Hamid Khan was a member of the team, which had written the PTI’s first constitution. According to the PTI insiders, the party leadership was extremely displeased with him when he accused PTI of playing in the hands of the establishment during a recent TV show. Through the show-cause notice, issued by PTI Secretary General Amir Mehmood Kiyani, he was asked to explain his position in writing within seven days.

In the start of the response, he pointed out to Kiyani that it was strange that though the matter concerns internal working of the party, he has chosen to release it to the media, print as well as electronic. “It is a highly improper conduct on your part and since Kiyani had gone to the media, I too have every right to release the response to the media,” he noted.

While referring to Kiyani as the secretary general of PTI, Hamid Khan said that he was surprised to learn Kiyani had become the party's secretary-general and Arshad Dad; a senior, upright and mature member of PTI had been replaced. "In any case, I have no issue with you becoming secretary-general of the party because you are a senior member,” he wrote.

He termed the show cause notice vague, ambiguous containing unintelligible allegations and added, “It is indeed objectionable that before serving the so-called show cause notice, I found it being displayed on the social, economic and print media, which obviously is a mala fide act on your part, meant only to tarnish my image”.

Hamid Khan explained, “That show cause notices are required to be specific and detailed nevertheless, I do not hold you responsible for that. If the entire legal team of the government could not draft a proper notification for appointment of COAS, as observed by the Supreme Court, how can I blame you for not being able to draft a proper show cause notice”.

He also pointed out that vague, ambiguous and unintelligible allegations had been made and details of where he had made the remarks, for example, had not been specified. "When did I malign/defame the party, which I love more than you do? It is not possible to respond to such a vague, ambiguous and preposterous show cause notice based on unfounded allegations," he maintained.

Reasons behind the show cause notice, Hamid Khan said that he believed in his opinions about the legality and constitutionality of the extension of the army chief's tenure and his stance on the accountability of judges had disturbed the sensitivities of those belonging to the powers that be and his party has been pressurised by those quarters to take action against him, he said.

“My impression might be wrong that but it is important to know who has compelled you and the chairman to initiate proceedings against me. Such transgressions can cause constitutional chaos which could be injurious to the national interest,” he said and clarified that his opinion had nothing to do with party affairs, saying these had been expressed and taken in his capacity as a constitutional lawyer.

The notice has charged him with having committed misconduct, violated party discipline and party constitution by making fake, false, frivolous and wrong allegations, bringing the party matters in the media for ulterior motives and thereby acting against party interest and also hurting feelings of party members and workers.