Sher Afzal Marwat, who was recently expelled from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has accused Shahbaz Gill, a former special assistant to prime minister (SAPM) and close ally of party founder Imran Khan, of stealing the former PM’s mobile phones and handing them over to ex-spymaster General (r) Faiz Hamid.
The former PTI leader was referring to the incident of theft first reported in May 2022 when, interestingly, Gill had told media that Khan’s mobile phones were stolen during the party’s Sialkot rally soon after Khan’s ouster from government.
“When an investigation was launched into Khan’s missing phones, an investigation team claimed that Shahbaz Gill, who was his chief of staff at the time, stole the phones and handed them over to Faiz,” Marwat said in conversation with a private media outlet.
He claimed that after learning about the theft, Khan removed Gill from the post and never met him again.
When the talk-show host contested Marwat’s claim, clarifying that these were just “accusations”, the former PTI leader said that Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza as well as PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja were witnesses of the same, including Khan’s directives to remove Gill from the party’s political committee.
“Khan sent a message to him [Shahbaz Gill] two and a half months ago… either focus on vlogging or remain in the political committee,” Marwat revealed, adding that Gill was accustomed to disclosing all the committee’s secret conversations through his vlogs.
He went on to claim that Khan ordered Gill’s removal after he refused to abandon vlogging, but no action was taken. “Raja retained Gill in the PTI core and political committees.”
Reacting to the claims, Gill mocked the TV host and Marwat, calling the latter a “clown”.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gill shared the video clip from the talk show and wrote, “General Faiz [former ISI chief] is with your masters, take both phones. Keep one for yourself […] and yes, make sure to get their chargers from General Faiz’s house. Otherwise, you’ll be begging for it from the workers.”
It merits a mention that Marwat has been making headlines since after being expelled from the PTI. “Further to the Show Cause Notice issued to Mr Sher Afzal Marwat and his subsequent reply, the party has considered his reply and also his actions subject to the Show Cause notice,” read a party notification.
Reacting to the expulsion, Marwat had expressed deep disappointment, emphasising his unwavering loyalty to PTI and Imran Khan’s leadership.
He said that the decision appeared to be influenced by individuals who never accepted him within the party but reassured his supporters that he had never been involved in personal disputes or internal factionalism.
Instead, he always stood by the vision of Khan, prioritising the party’s unity over personal conflicts. He acknowledged the difficulties faced by Imran Khan, including limited access to information and the presence of certain individuals whose actions were detrimental to the party’s interests.
Despite this, Marwat said, he was hopeful that the party’s workers, who had stood by him, would continue to support justice in the future.
In a firm stance, he said that while he would accept PTI’s decision with dignity if the party did not reconsider, he would never beg for mercy. He strongly urged PTI leaders and workers to speak up against injustice and to remain united, particularly when facing difficult times.
