The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday terminated the basic membership of former defense minister Pervez Khattak—who had also served as the party’s president in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa—over his failure to provide a “satisfactory” reply to a “show-cause notice” accusing him of inciting party workers to leave it.
“With reference to the show-cause notice served to you earlier, dated June 21, you have not provided a satisfactory reply within the given stipulated time regarding contacting party members and inciting them to leave the party,” read the termination notice issued by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan. “Now, therefore, you are served with this notice of termination from your basic membership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Your membership from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been terminated with immediate effect,” it added.
The PTI had issued Khattak with a show-cause notice last month seeking an explanation for allegedly inciting workers to leave the former ruling party after the May 9 riots, which saw thousands of PTI workers and leaders arrested in a crackdown initiated over attacks on civil and military assets. “It has come to the notice of the party leadership that you are contacting party members and inciting them to leave the party. In view of these reported activities, you are hereby called to explain yourself in writing within seven days of this notice,” read the show-cause notice, warning that if he failed to respond or provide a satisfactory reply, further action would be taken as per party policy and rules.
Addressing a press conference on June 1, Khattak had announced he was quitting the post of PTI KP president, but had maintained that he remained its member. His press conference followed on the heels of dozens of politicians who had similarly announced they were exiting the PTI after the May 9 riots.
According to sources, Khattak has not yet decided whether or not he would form a new political party or join the newly-formed Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by Jahangir Khan Tareen, which has become the home of several former PTI leaders.