Whom Imran accused of horse-trading: PTI appoints ex-MPA office-bearer of Insaf Welfare Wing

PESHAWAR: The PTI has surprisingly appointed ex-MPA Arif Yousaf as central joint secretary of Insaf Welfare Wing, Peshawar Region.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had accused Arif Yousaf of horse-trading in the Senate elections during a press conference in April 2018. Arif Yousaf had also served as a special assistant on law to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister in the past.

However, Arif Yousaf while denying the allegations had filed a defamation suit against Imran Khan in the court of district sessions judge, Peshawar. According to a letter No WW/GS/013/2020 issued on April 21, 2020, a copy of which is available with this scribe, Jamshed Cheema, central general secretary, Insaaf Welfare Wing, a sub-organisation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, stated that as per the guidelines set by the chief organiser and in pursuance of Article 17-1 of Insaaf Welfare Wing bylaws and by the approval of Insaf Welfare Wing central governing committee, advocate Arif Yousaf is being appointed as central joint secretary (Peshawar Region) as member of the central working committee. Interestingly, local newspapers have published congratulatory advertisements on February 10, 2020.

Arif Yousaf denied allegations of vote-selling and bribery, and filed a defamation suit against Imran Khan in Peshawar district and sessions’ judge’s court. The PTI reconciled instead of giving evidence in court.

Furthermore, the PTI central leader and Imran Khan’s advocate Babar Awan went to Arif Yousaf’s residence and requested him to withdraw the case. According to Arif Yousaf, Babar Awan apologised on the behalf of Imran Khan. Finally, Arif Yousaf had withdrawn the defamation suit against Imran Khan and the court disposed of the case after reconciliation between the two parties.

PTI spokesman and provincial Labour Minister Shaukat Yousafzai termed Arif Yousaf’s claim baseless and said he himself had requested Babar Awan that he want to withdraw his case but if Babar Awan comes to his house for a cup of tea and that is why Babar Awan went to his house. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan did not apologise to anyone. If anyone had contacted former members, it must have been done in personal capacity.