PTI maverick Sher Afzal Khan Marwat announced on Saturday that he had resolved all his grievances with the party leadership following a meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan, during which he was also assigned to lead a party rally next week.
“I have forgiven everyone on my end,” Marwat stated while speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail.
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Last month, the PTI had suspended Marwat’s membership for repeatedly violating party discipline, making critical statements about party leaders, and allegedly making “derogatory remarks” about Imran Khan. Earlier this month, confusion arose regarding his expulsion from PTI after a notification circulated on social media claiming his membership was canceled due to “gross violation/breach of discipline.” However, some party sources later claimed the notification was fake.
Marwat had reportedly offered to resign from his National Assembly seat and run again as an independent candidate. However, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said he would meet with Imran Khan before accepting the resignation. Speaking outside Adiala Jail, Marwat shared that he met with Imran Khan after three months, during which they had a warm exchange. Marwat discussed all his grievances with Imran, who shared his own concerns. Ultimately, “all misunderstandings have been cleared.”
During the meeting, and in the presence of other party leaders, Imran Khan assigned Marwat the responsibility of organizing a rally on August 22, as well as overseeing the party’s protests across the country. Marwat assured Imran of the public’s readiness to support the cause and emphasized that any consequences would be his responsibility, as he wanted to mobilize people in support of Imran.
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Marwat further declared, “On Khan’s instructions, I have ended any reservations I had against the [party] leadership. I have forgiven everyone on my end. The matter is now buried after talking with Khan.”
When questioned about joining the party, Marwat clarified that he was never actually removed and that the notification canceling his membership was “fake.” He mentioned that he and Imran agreed that any future complaints should be directed to Barrister Gohar or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for investigation.
Marwat dismissed the media frenzy surrounding his alleged removal from PTI, calling it a “drama” and using his catchphrase “war gaya” (went bust). He emphasized that no one could undermine the bond between him and Imran through gossip.
Marwat expressed his satisfaction with the love and respect shown to him by Imran Khan, calling it a “lifelong asset.”
When asked about recent divisions within the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Marwat said Imran had tasked Barrister Gohar with addressing the issue and sent a “clear message” that groupings or conflicts within the party were unacceptable.
Regarding his previously stated differences with Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub, Marwat assured that those differences had been resolved, and no further negative comments would be heard from him about them. He also shared plans for the August 22 rally, stating that the party would march to Lahore with hundreds of thousands of supporters, undeterred by potential arrests or the lack of non-objection certificates.
“We will remain peaceful, but anyone attempting to create obstacles will face the wrath of the people,” Marwat warned.
Regarding the strategy for protests, Marwat explained that the plans would be carefully crafted to avoid any incidents like the May 9 events, emphasizing that any future actions would be his responsibility, not Imran Khan’s. He committed to peaceful, constitutional measures and vowed to respond to any crackdown or violence against the party, distancing the party leadership or Imran from any potential fallout.
Marwat was removed from the party’s core and political committees in May on Imran’s orders following Marwat’s controversial statements about Saudi Arabia. Omar Ayub had stated that Imran believed Marwat’s misleading comments had caused significant damage to PTI’s interests and its relationship with Saudi Arabia, including Imran’s personal ties with Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. Marwat, however, refuted these claims, stating that the decision was premeditated and merely attributed to Imran Khan.
Last month, PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan publicly criticized Marwat after a video surfaced of Marwat seemingly criticizing Imran Khan.