PTI leader rubbishes 'exchange of hot words' with party members

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat Tuesday rubbished "rumours of an exchange of hot words" with fellow party leaders during a core committee meeting.

According to reports, the party's meeting was marred by heated arguments between PTI's members including its Karachi-based leader, Shamim Naqvi and others with Marwat, who termed the alleged reports as "false and malicious".

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the politician wrote that the debate in a party meeting ought not to be construed as differences in the party.

"Party is united and we will continue working together like a rock," he maintained.

Allegations and counter-allegations allegedly became a reason for a bitter argument between Marwat and Niazullah Niazi on the question of the ‘batsman’ (PTI-Nazriyati) during the party meeting on Monday

The PTI spokesperson was approached by Geo News for comments but he did not respond.

During the meeting, Marwat asked who brought the (idea of) ‘batsman’ and that all the damage to the party was caused by it.

After having been denied allotment of ‘bat’ as its election symbol, the PTI first decided to field its candidates from the platform of a break-away faction — PTI-Nazriyati, which received 'batsman' as its election symbol. But it did not materialise after which the party fielded its candidates as independents.

Its bid to join the Sunni Ittehad Council for allotment of reserved seats for women and non-Muslims also did not work.

On Marwat's question about ‘batsman’, Niazi defended the decision and said there are sacrifices in the party of the one who heads PTI-N.

However, Ali Muhammad Khan settled the matter when exchange of words between Marwat and Niazi escalated.

Some party leaders supported Marwat for raising the question of several wrong decisions, including the one pertaining to ‘batsman’. However, senior party leader from Sindh, Firdous Shamim Naqvi was not among his supporters. He suggested that there should be someone with Marwat, who teaches and explains to him that he is attacking his own people, by issuing statements.

In response to him, Marwat reportedly said that a campaign is being run against him, no one comes out; everyone is hiding, and that this has led the PTI to difficult days.

"PTI’s own members talk against me," he reportedly complained.

Some members during the core committee meeting discussed that Marwat spoke beyond his mandate, as PTI's narrative took two months to be built, but he ended it in no time. The meeting concluded with an echo of bitter words.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and leader Ali Muhammad Khan were among those, who attended the meeting, while Shahbaz Gill and Mian Aslam Iqbal participated via video link.