PPP tries to 'recruit' Sher Afzal Marwat

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has offered firebrand politician Sher Afzal Marwat to join Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's party as his membership in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) faces uncertainty.

A spokesperson of MNA Makhdoom Jameel uz Zaman on Saturday said that the lawyer-turned-politician has been invited to join the PPP.

The Imran Khan-founded party has reportedly cancelled the basic party membership of Marwat for "gross violation/ breach" of discipline.

However, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan denied the reports while terming the notification attributed to the party "fake".

Amid this confusion, the spokesperson of PPP's Makhdoom said that they have invited the PTI leader to become a PPP member.

"PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is determined to transform Pakistan into a modern country. Makhdoom Jameel uz Zaman will meet Sher Afzal Marwat in Islamabad soon," he added.

Marwat, who remains in the limelight due to his blunt and controversial remarks, once again hit the headlines after a PTI notification stated that the maverick politician was on notice and was asked to "restrict himself, and his statements to within the limitation as outlined in the letter.

Gohar's statement in this regard showed that the PTI leadership was divided over the party membership of Marwat, who has been warned earlier as well by the party to watch his words.

Meanwhile, jailed PTI founder Imran also shunned questions on the matter during interaction with journalists at Adiala jail during a hearing earlier today. When repeatedly asked about Marwat's party membership status, the incarcerated premier said "we will talk about this later".

It may be noted that the PTI leader had landed himself in hot water after he had claimed that Saudi Arabia was also allegedly involved in the toppling of the Khan-led government in 2022.

The top leadership of the former ruling party not only distanced itself from Marwat’s statement about Riyadh but also served a show-cause notice on the beleaguered senior leader of the PTI.

The show-cause notice, issued by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, had said Marwat's "irresponsible statements harmed the party's reputation and interests despite being given clear instructions by founding chairman Imran Khan not to violate the party’s known and stated positions”.

According to the notice, the politico had "damaged relations" with fellow party members and stakeholders through his actions and words.

On May 9, Ayub had said the PTI expelled Marwat from its core and political committees on the directives of Khan. He had said that the politician was warned time and again against violating the party’s policies.