The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has officially terminated the basic membership of Salman Ahmad, a veteran Pakistani musician and once close aide to the party’s founder, citing his divisive social media activity directed against Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi.
The PTI issued a notification accusing Ahmad of creating discord within the party through “unwarranted and scurrilous posts” on social media platforms. The statement from the party indicated a clear dissociation from Ahmad’s actions and statements, highlighting prior warnings about the potential consequences of his conduct.
Despite multiple directives, including press releases from the PTI Core Committee urging him to cease posting objectionable content, Ahmad continued disregarding these instructions. The notification detailed his consistent defiance of the directives issued by the founder chairman of the PTI, leading to his immediate expulsion. The party has also advised him to refrain from showing any affiliation with the PTI in the future.
پاکستان تحریک انصاف نے باضابطہ طور پر سلمان احمد @sufisal کی پارٹی سے "بنیادی رکنیت" ختم کرنے کا فیصلہ لیا ہے۔
ان کی حالیہ سوشل میڈیا سرگرمی اور چیئرمین عمران خان کے اہل خانہ پر حملوں سے بہت سے پاکستانیوں کے جذبات کو شدید ٹھیس پہنچی ہے، یہ رویہ ناقابل قبول ہے۔
اس لیے ان کی… pic.twitter.com/mnkNq9dR6Y
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 19, 2024Background of the Controversy
Ahmad had been vocal in his criticism of the PTI founder’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. He blamed them for mismanagement and accused them of abandoning their responsibilities during the party’s critical “final call” protest last month, which aimed to secure the release of Imran Khan, the incarcerated party founder.
The PTI’s significant protest in Islamabad last month concluded abruptly, resulting in the arrest of nearly 1,000 supporters. This event also led to violent clashes, with the PTI and the coalition government blaming each other for the deaths of four law enforcers and alleged casualties among PTI workers. The government has denied allegations of using live ammunition against the protesters.
This incident marks a turbulent phase in PTI’s history, reflecting the intense political turmoil and the challenges the party faces as it navigates internal dissent and external pressures.
