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Tag: Sher Afzal Marwat

  • Nawaz Sharif was removed wrongfully, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Nawaz Sharif was removed wrongfully, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Maverick leader Sher Afzal Marwat on Monday claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was wrongfully removed, alluding to his 2017 disqualification from power over undeclared assets.

    Speaking on a private media channel, Marwat asserted, “Definitely, Nawaz Sharif was wrongfully removed. Removing him for not receiving a salary from his son was [unjustified],” adding that Sharif could have been disqualified in the Panama Papers case or the Avenfield case instead.

    When told that such remarks might displease many of his companions, Marwat said, “I cannot tell a lie merely to make my party happy. I am a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; I know that [Nawaz Sharif’s ouster] decision was not right.”

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) firebrand further alleged that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa was involved in orchestrating Sharif’s removal from office, noting that ex-Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar facilitated Bajwa.

    “You [Marwat] were a beneficiary [of Nawaz Sharif’s removal from power]. One should acknowledge that,” the talk show host said. In response, Marwat asked, “Why are you saying that I was the beneficiary?” adding that he was speaking about Nawaz Sharif not as a PTI leader but as a lawyer.

    When asked who was involved in his expulsion from PTI, the maverick leader, without naming anyone, said that the same party leaders who had previously expelled him were behind his recent ouster. “If I announce their names, then [Imran] Khan would be grieved. Khan knows very well who expelled me.”

    It should be noted that PTI issued a notification of Marwat’s expulsion on Wednesday via X (formerly Twitter), which reads, “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.”

    “Taking both these aspects into consideration and on the instructions of Founding Chairman Imran Khan, Mr. Sher Afzal Marwat is being expelled from the party with immediate effect.”

    Revealing that the incarcerated party founder has summoned him to Adiala Jail for a meeting, Marwat said he would visit Imran Khan soon.

    “I will not take even a minute to resign,” Marwat responded when asked what he would do if Imran Khan demanded his resignation from the National Assembly, adding that he would not beg to be reinstated in the party.

  • Faiz Hamid facilitated 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz, Sher Afzal Marwat says Ali Amin tells him

    Faiz Hamid facilitated 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz, Sher Afzal Marwat says Ali Amin tells him

    Days after being expelled from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sher Afzal Marwat, citing Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, claimed that former intelligence chief General Faiz Hamid facilitated more than 600 kanals of land for YouTuber and former TV host Imran Riaz Khan.         

    Speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Friday, the KP firebrand claimed, “Ali Amin Gandapur told me that General Faiz Hamid facilitated more than 600 kanals of land for Imran Riaz in Chakwal, where the latter built a palace, fish ponds, and a horse stable.”

    While raising questions about how Riaz made billions of rupees when he did not even have a motorbike, Marwat remarked, “Ali Amin also told me that he [Riaz] was the confidant of Faiz Hamid,” alleging that the ex-TV host had a close relationship with the intelligence agencies during PTI’s reign.

    “Imran Riaz came to me 10 times seeking a mining contract,” Marwat quoted Gandapur as saying, adding that he found Riaz every time he visited the CM House.

    He further quoted CM KP as saying that, in an “attempt to become a hero” through collusion with agencies, Riaz got arrested.

    Inquiring about how the YouTuber ran away from Pakistan merely with the help of mules, Marwat said that if the government had the intention of not letting Riaz leave, his passport could have been blocked within a minute. “Then how did he reach the United Kingdom?” he questioned, adding that Riaz’s passport was valid.

    Concluding his tirade on the former TV host, Marwat said that he had made a video exposing Riaz’s properties, which he planned to share soon.

    Separately, Marwat, while speaking to a private news channel, claimed that PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja was behind his expulsion from the party.

    He said that Raja became the party’s secretary general through the “influence of powerful individuals”.

    “Non-elected individuals in the party are running the party matters,” he said, asserting that he would respond to those responsible for the propaganda against him.

    It merits a mention that following the instructions of party founder Imran Khan, Marwat was expelled from the party on Wednesday. He was sacked “due to his continuous violations of the party discipline”.

    Riaz, while confirming on his X (formerly Twitter) account last month that he had left the country, wrote, “….I am proud that my Lord granted me steadfastness against every injustice. I have endured the worst torture and terrifying imprisonment. I have been arrested 10 times and faced dozens of cases. I was even forcibly stopped from performing Hajj, but my Lord granted me patience. I have some important responsibilities to fulfil, and I will return to Pakistan soon, InshaAllah.”

    In an interview with the Sherin Zada YouTube channel, Riaz revealed that former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, introduced him to individuals who accompanied him during his escape from the country.

    The former TV host clarified that he had been residing in Swat before leaving Pakistan. Prior to that, he had stayed at safe locations across Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, and Swabi.

  • Marwat says he is ‘deeply saddened’ after Imran expells him from PTI

    Marwat says he is ‘deeply saddened’ after Imran expells him from PTI

    Firebrand leader Sher Afzal Marwat has released a response hours after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan expelled him from the party.

    Marwat took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (today) to state that he always remained loyal to Imran Khan and will stand by his principals. “I am deeply saddened by the recent decision, which seems influenced by individuals who have never accepted me within the party,” he said.

    Marwat stated that he would  explain his position on Thursday night, noting, “I trust that PTI workers, who have fought for justice alongside me, will continue to stand for what is right.”

    “PTI must uphold its core values of democracy, transparency, and justice. True loyalty is not about blind obedience but about ensuring that our movement stays on the right path. Khan Sahib is, and will always remain, my leader. My struggle is not for personal gain but for the integrity of PTI and the vision we all share,” he wrote.

    Marwat’s expulsion notification, which was posted on PTI’s official X account on Wednesday night, read, “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.”

    “Taking both these aspects into consideration and on the instructions of Founding Chairman Imran Khan, Mr. Sher Afzal Marwat is being expelled from the party with immediate effect.”

    Marwat’s termination came just three days after the former ruling party staged a rally in Swabi against what it believes was the rigged election in 2024.

    A media report claims that the PTI leaders complained to Imran Khan about Marwat’s behaviour at the February 8 Swabi public gathering. 

    During his speech, Marwat cryptically said that “bad people” always became helpful during “bad times”, but some “good people in good times” have zipped their lips.

    Last month, PTI issued a show-cause notice to the lawmaker for violation of the party discipline for his remarks against the party’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja at a private news channel.


    The maverick leader challenged Raja’s position in the party, saying that according to the party constitution, Raja cannot become the party’s secretary general. “Only the elected person who has contested an intra-party election is eligible for the position of party secretary-general,” he explained.

     
    He went on to say that Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Firdous Shamim Naqvi are public officeholders. “Salman Akram Raja is a stranger [to the party],” he added.


    Marwat’s scathing attack on Raja follows when the PTI Secretary General, while speaking on the private media outlet, had downplayed Marwat’s claims, which he recently linked to party founder Imran Khan, saying, “Only two or four party members are deemed capable of having the right to speak about the party.


    “Marwat statement has nothing to do with the party’s official narrative. His [Marwat] statements are unimportant,” Raja said.

  • PTI social media turns on its own leaders as Sher Afzal Marwat decries media coverage

    PTI social media turns on its own leaders as Sher Afzal Marwat decries media coverage

    Firebrand Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has told journalists that the party’s social media followers have turned on their own leaders.

    Marwat, often known for sparring with other PTI leaders, referred to a recent development in which Imran Khan prohibited Marwat from visiting him in jail on January 23.

    The News reported that Sher Afzal Marwat attempted to visit the party founder at Adiala Jail but was denied entry yesterday. Officials cited explicit instructions from the PTI founder, who clarified that Marwat was not his legal counsel and should not be granted access.

    However, Marwat denied the news, stating: “As a protest, I am boycotting national media for 15 days as a protest against Imran Khan’s news about me. Social media also ran this news. There are hundreds of news channels but nobody bothered to ask my perspective, I was not contacted.”


    “The social media which aligns itself with PTI has now gone after its own leaders. This is not normal that whenever someone in the party gets in a mood, they start disparaging other party leaders,” stated Sher Afzal Marwat.

    Marwat has also been issued show cause notices multiple times by the PTI, with the most recent one issued on January 13.

    The party leader was directed to respond to allegations of issuing statements against party policy and the party’s secretary-general Salman Akram Raja in the most recent show cause notice.

    Marwat also requested the media to contact him regarding any news related to him for authenticating the story. 

    “The fake news that has been running against me since yesterday on electronic media and social media. My community, my tribe and all my supporters are getting angry because of the disrespect being meted out to me,” exclaimed the PTI leader.

     Social media users mostly criticised Marwat for his views, with one user writing: “What do you do yourself? Have you followed some party discipline? On social media, they are just common people, not MNAs or MPAs. No restrictions can be imposed on them like this, but you are a party official and should adhere to discipline.”

    Another user wrote: “We Pashtuns are not angry at all, rather this decision has brought life back into our lives.”

  • Sher Afzal Marwat to file £5 million defamation case against Adil Raja

    Sher Afzal Marwat to file £5 million defamation case against Adil Raja

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat claimed on Tuesday that he will file a five-million-pound defamation lawsuit against YouTuber Adil Raja.

    Speaking to a private news channel, Marwat revealed that he will soon visit the United Kingdom (UK) to file cases against those involved in editing his fake videos, saying, “In Pakistan, I might meet DG FIA tomorrow […] it will take two to three days to initiate probe (against individuals involved in spreading AI video).”

    YouTuber Adil Raja and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Sher Afzal Marwat have previously exchanged a war of words over party policy.

    In November 2023, Raja and Haider Raza Mehdi were handed 14 and 12 years of jail sentence, respectively, following their Field General Court Martial for “inciting sedition”, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    The military media wing, in a statement, said that both retired officers were convicted and 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 Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state”.

    To a question on whether Marwat responded to the show cause notice on social media or submitted it to party leaders, he stated, “I will ask Barrister Gohar Sahab (party chairman) about it. If he (Barrister Gohar) leaves it up to me, then I will share my response on social media.”

    Marwat, however, stated that sharing the show-cause answer on social media would create many new controversies. “I will respond as a lawyer,” he added.

    PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi recently issued a show cause notice to Marwat over violating party policy by making “adverse and disparaging remarks” about the party’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and the ongoing negotiations with the government.

    “You have, amongst others, made disparaging remarks against the Secretary General of PTI and even made adverse comments on the ongoing negotiations. This is clear violation of the Party Policy and Instructions issued by Founding Chairman, Imran Khan,” the notice reads.

    Earlier this month, while appearing on a private news channel, Marwat challenged Salman Akran Raja’s position in the party when the latter downplayed Marwat’s remarks on the party founder the same day.

    Marwat had said that according to the party constitution, Salman Akram Raja cannot become the party’s secretary general. “Only an elected person who has contested the intra-party election is eligible for the position of party secretary-general,” he explained.

    He went on to say that Gohar Khan and Firdous Shamim Naqvi are public officeholders and that “Salman Akram Raja is a stranger [to the party].”

  • Once Imran is released, I will not be seen anywhere, says Marwat

    Once Imran is released, I will not be seen anywhere, says Marwat

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat stated on Sunday that his support for other leaders of the party will end once former Premier Imran Khan is released from jail.

    Appearing on the private media outlet, Marwat remarked, “I promise the entire nation that the day Khan Sahib is released, I will not be seen anywhere.”

    Asked whether Marwat was quitting politics after Khan’s release, the PTI firebrand said, “I step into politics solely for Khan,” adding that he is not seeking any benefits.

    His remarks followed a highly public spat between the party’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Sher Afzal Marwat on a private television on Thursday.

    While Raja had downplayed the Marwat remarks about the party founder, the latter challenged Salman Akram Raja’s position in the party.

    Marwat had said that according to the party constitution, Salman Akram Raja cannot become the party’s secretary general. “Only an elected person who has contested the intra-party election is eligible for the position of party secretary-general,” he explained.

    He went on to say that Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and PTI Additional Secretary General Firdous Shamim Naqvi are public officeholders. “Salman Akram Raja is a stranger [to the party],” he added.

    Marwat, on Sunday, while responding to the former PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hassan’s remarks about him, stated that he did not want to comment about Hassan since he faced physical assault previously.

    Earlier, reacting to the heated exchange between Marwat and Raja, former PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan, while speaking to a private news channel on Friday, sternly said, “I’ve stopped talking about him [Sher Afzal Marwat] because no one has been spared his wrath, including me.”

    Without taking the names of specific persons, Marwat stated that they were concerned about his frequent appearance on media channels, adding, “They [party leaders] wish that I must not appear on any news channel.” In the same breath, Marwat avowed that he will continue to appear on screen and cause them discomfort.

    He said that except for Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, party chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Ali Muhammad Khan, he is not answerable to anyone in the party. “They are my well-wishers,” he added.

    Meanwhile, PTI served a show cause notice to Marwat on Monday after he assailed Secretary General Salman Raja.

    “You have, amongst others, made disparaging remarks against the Secretary General of PTI and even made adverse comments on the ongoing negotiations. This is a clear violation of the Party Policy and Instructions issued by Founding Chairman Imran Khan,” the notice reads.

    As per the notice, the PTI maverick has been given seven days to respond and explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. During this period, Marwat has been advised to avoid appearing in the media.

  • Sher Afzal Marwat unleashes furious attack on Salman Akram Raja

    Sher Afzal Marwat unleashes furious attack on Salman Akram Raja

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat hit back at lawyer Salman Akram Raja in retaliation on Thursday, declaring his appointment as party secretary general was not in accordance with the party constitution.

    Appearing on the ARY News programme Khabar, PTI firebrand Sher Afzal Marwat stated that, according to the party constitution, Salman Akram Raja cannot become the party’s secretary general. “Only the elected person who has contested an intra-party election is eligible for the position of party secretary-general,” he explained.

    He went on to say that Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and Firdous Shamim Naqvi are public officeholders. “Salman Akram Raja is a stranger [to the party],” he added.

    Earlier, lawyer Salman Akram Raja, while speaking on the ARY News programme Off The Record on the same day, downplayed Marwat’s claims, which he recently linked to party founder Imran Khan, saying, “Only two or four party members are deemed capable of having the right to speak about the party.

    “Marwat statement has nothing to do with the party’s official narrative. His [Marwat] statements are unimportant,” Raja said.

    Following statements from Raja, who questioned Marwat’s understanding of the party’s policy matters, Marwat assailed him.

    The PTI senior leader accused Raja of terminating him in the middle of the Iddat case when Raja was representing former premier Imran Khan. Raja then took over the case himself.

    “I will give him a befitting reply if he speaks against me again,” Marwat said.

    When asked whether PTI founder Imran Khan is aware of Marwat’s claims about Salman Akram Raja’s unconstitutional appointment as party secretary general, Marwat said, “I will meet Khan Sahib tomorrow and inform him about Salman Akram Raja’s appointment. I am sure Khan Sahib will not tolerate any violation of the party constitution.”

    The PTI firebrand also alleged that YouTuber Adil Raja is an Indian intelligence agent and questioned, “Why do they [pseudo-PTI social media activists] expect me to defend them on TV when they regularly abuse me on social media?”

    “How can he — who was Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer in the Panama case, Khawaja Asif [now Defence Minister], and PML-N’s Nausheen Iftikhar against PTI’s candidate Asjad Malhi — taunt me?” he mocked.

  • Ali Amin Gandapur pays seven crore rupees fee to Imran Khan’s lawyers in one month, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Ali Amin Gandapur pays seven crore rupees fee to Imran Khan’s lawyers in one month, says Sher Afzal Marwat

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat has claimed that Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur paid seven crore rupees fee to party founder Imran Khan’s lawyer.

    Speaking with Azaad Urdu, Marwat expressed disappointment over the massive fees which are being paid to former Premier Imran Khan’s lawyer. “It is not justified that more than a crore rupees is paid to lawyers in one case,” he stated. 

    “It is in my knowledge that exorbitant fees have been paid to lawyers. The fees paid to the lawyers are so high that, if calculated, each day Imran Khan spends in jail is costing more than lac,” he said.

    However, Marwat clarified that Imran Khan nominated lawyers for his cases.

    He emphasised that there should have been negotiations regarding the fees. “I am a lawyer myself, and I know what costs are reasonable [for lawyer fee],” he added.

    Sher Afzal Marwat stressed, “Having money doesn’t mean that there should be no accountability. There must be proper financial transparency with the lawyers, and a reasonable fee should be paid to lawyers.”

    Additionally, the PTI leader also said that he had not charged a single rupee when he was Imran Khan’s counsel in multiple cases.

    Moreover, Marwat maintained that he had represented several PTI leaders, including CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur, former Speaker of National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Member National Assembly (MNA) Shandana Gulzar Khan in courts and did not charge them even a single penny.

    Asked about how much fee he charged for one case, Marwat linked his fee to the client’s financial conditions: “Sometimes, I had charged one crore from a client who could afford it; however, apart from Imran Khan and PTI leaders, I have taken two cases free of charge.”

    Commenting on the 34-year sentence of former CM Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Khalid Khurshid, Marwat made a witty jab at the GB court by saying that life imprisonment in Pakistan is limited to 25 years only if someone killed a person.

    Marwat said he wants to salute the GB judiciary for surpassing the Pakistani judiciary in terms of justice by sentencing Khalid Khurshid for 34-years. 

    A GB anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday sentenced ex-CM Khalid Khurshid Khan to 34 years in prison for threatening security institutions at a party rally in July last year.

  • Taliban have taken control of my constituency: Sher Afzal Marwat

    Taliban have taken control of my constituency: Sher Afzal Marwat

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat on Tuesday dismissed claims that terrorist organisation Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were not present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, where his party holds power.

    Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the lawmaker said, “I cannot return to my constituency because the Taliban have taken control there, and many other districts share the same problem.”

    He also highlighted that the province is engulfed in unrest, and inflation is increasing.

    Recalling the claims of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that PTI should make the first move for negotiation, Marwat emphasised that political parties must rest aside their egos.

    PTI leader called on Rana Sanaullah to share the government’s official stance on holding dialogue with PTI, adding that all stakeholders must sit together and find a solution to the polarised situation in the country.

    On December 6, imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, in a message on X (formerly Twitter) had said that he had formed a five-member negotiation committee comprising Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Sahibzada Hamid Raza, lawyer Salman Akram Raja and former NA Speaker Asad Qaiser.

    The founder of Pakistan’s biggest opposition party had also announced that if two demands, including the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 and November 26 events and the release of the political prisoner, remain unmet, the “civil disobedience movement” will follow.

    On the floor of NA, Rana Sanaullah noted that six weeks ago, PM Shehbaz Sharif went straight to the opposition members and shook hands with them, adding that Shehbaz Sharif announced that the government was ready to hold negotiations with the opposition on every matter. However, lawmaker Omer Ayub Khan responded using harsh words.

    Sanaullah also stressed that the parliamentary democratic system cannot work until the opposition leader and leader of the house don’t sit and have a dialogue.

    “For the first time, a pleasant breeze came from the opposition […] but talks cannot be held at gunpoint,” Khawaja Asif responded to Marwat on the same floor.

    The minister reiterated that the repeated attacks on Islamabad and calls for civil disobedience movement will not pave the way for negotiations. 

    “The nation is suffering losses in our political war,” he said, stressing the need for “a change that would create a good environment.”

    Khawaja Asif recalled the Parachinar incident by saying that, as per the constitution, it was the responsibility of the provincial government to solve the disputes between the two clans in the Kurram district, adding that the KP government prioritised last month’s protest march towards the federal capital instead of solving the Kurram land dispute.

  • ‘If people voted on basis of performance, PTI wouldn’t have won KP’

    ‘If people voted on basis of performance, PTI wouldn’t have won KP’

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sher Afzal Marwat has once again criticised his party leadership over unsatisfactory performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where it is currently in power for the third consecutive term.


    Addressing a workers’ convention in Abbottabad, the PTI leader pointed out the lack of facilities in the province and said that had people voted on the basis of performance, PTI would never have come to power again.


    Marwat also highlighted the persisting security situation, backwardness and lack of infrastructure in KP. “We cannot label backwardness as progress nor can we term deception as the truth.”


    “The people of KP have voted for PTI three times in a row and now it is the PTI’s turn to deliver for the people of the province,” Marwat stressed. He also suggested that party leadership must accept past mistakes and realise that party performance was not up to the mark in KP.


    Marwat, who is known for his candid and brut remarks, even against his own party, often faces backlashes for his statements both within and without the PTI.


    In May, Marwat was kicked out of PTI’s core and political committees on the direction of party founder Imran Khan following his remarks about Saudi Arabia. Marwat, in an interview, had alleged that Saudia Arabia was behind Khan’s ouster from power.


    In August, PTI’s official handle on X, formerly Twitter, announced the cancellation of Marwat’s basic party membership for a “gross violation/ breach” of discipline.


    While the notification had gone viral, PTI chief Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had termed it “fake”.


    “The notification regarding the cancellation of Sher Afzal Marwat’s membership is fake. It’s not possible,” Gohar had said, hinting at possible differences within the party leadership over Marwat’s fate.


    The notification also claimed that Marwat had been directed to “restrict himself and his statements to within the limitation as outlined in the letter. A committee was also set up to monitor his statements, media appearances and tweets.”


    The recent-most controversy surrounding Marwat also involved PTI leader Salman Akram Raja.
    “Sher Afzal Marwat must control himself. We are giving him a chance if he wants to play a role in the party. If he does not show discipline, we will take action,” Raja had said.


    Marwat, on the other hand, claims that his relation with PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan remains “strong as ever”.