The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has revoked the basic membership of Salman Ahmad, a prominent Pakistani musician and close ally of PTI founder Imran Khan, citing his controversial social media posts targeting the family of the incarcerated former premier.
In an official notification, PTI accused Ahmad of “sowing division and discontent” within the party through “unwarranted and scurrilous posts.” The party stated that despite repeated warnings and press releases from its Core Committee, Ahmad continued to defy instructions from Chairman Imran Khan.
PTI clarified that it has dissociated itself from Ahmad’s statements and behavior, instructing him to “never show any affiliation with the PTI” and affirming that it will not bear responsibility for his future actions.
The musician had notably criticized Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on X (formerly Twitter), accusing them of mismanagement and abandoning the party during a recent protest.
PTI’s much-publicized Islamabad protest last month, aimed at securing Imran Khan’s release after over a year in custody, ended abruptly amid clashes. The party alleged that 12 workers were killed and more than 1,000 arrested, claims the government has denied, asserting that no live ammunition was used against protesters.