LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ahmad Husain Deharr from Multan has been issued a show-cause notice for accusing party vice chairman and foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, of corruption and not being loyal to Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In a recent interview to a news channel, Mr Deharr alleged that PM Khan’s close aides were hatching a conspiracy against him that compelled Mr Khan to speak about the “minus-one” formula. “Something is going to happen because something is cooking,” he said, adding that he knew much more but could not explain on camera.

The MNA from NA-154, however, claimed that the army chief and the prime minister were on the same page and would ensure that the “minus-one mission” failed. “I will continue warning the prime minister that he should stay alert of the nefarious designs of his colleague on the next seat in both the National Assembly and the party, who wants to replace him,” he added.

Multan’s Ahmad Deharr says FM corrupt, disloyal to PM

Deeming MNA Deharr’s statements a violation of Clause XII of the party constitution and unbecoming behaviour, the PTI’s Standing Committee on Accountability and Discipline sub-committee issued him a show-cause notice and asked him to appear in person on July 15 along with a written reply.

Mr Deharr is known for being outspoken, as he had in March last year lambasted Chief Minister Usman Buzdar at a function at Governor House for not sanctioning four mobile health units to offer diagnostic and treatment facilities to hepatitis patients in his constituency in Multan. “We want to work, but hitches are not being removed,” he had said. “I am running from pillar to post to serve the people of my constituency, but the chief minister secretariat is prone to red-tapism.”

In a previous interview, Mr Deharr had gone on to say that Mr Khan’s close confidants were not sincere with him and only watching their vested interests. Clarifying, he said that PM Khan had issued 12 directives for public welfare projects, but none were implemented. “Imran Khan’s mission will not complete until this government delivers to the poor,” he said and added that party MNAs were crying hoarse that the bureaucracy was not letting public welfare projects be implemented.

“The fault does not lie with the bureaucracy but the party ministers, who get favours from the bureaucracy for their respective constituencies, and eventually the bureaucrats refuse all other party MNAs and MPAs,” he alleged.

Mr Deharr said Multan was experiencing all-time-high corruption and the only one responsible for this mess was Foreign Minister Qureshi. He claimed to have informed the premier that he should change his choice and bring those party men close who were sincere with him.

Mr Qureshi has, however, already denied reports of him lobbying to replace PM Khan. “There’s no room for minus one in the current set-up,” he has said to the media.

PM Khan has also rejected the reports of differences within the party and its allies. In his speech in the National Assembly, Mr Khan had said the opposition parties were talking about “minus-one formula” to save their corruption. “They don’t know that even if minus one happens, the others will not spare them,” he had said.

But Mr Deharr asked, “Would Mr Khan have spoken about the minus-one formula if his confidants were loyal to him?”

When contacted, Mr Deharr said he would appear before the disciplinary sub-committee and present his point of view, adding that he had not spoken against anyone particularly, but expressed his mind. “We are not being heard in the parliamentary party meeting,” he claimed.

The MNA said he would also submit an application against Shah Mahmood Qureshi for hurling threats at him ahead of the 2018 general elections and launching an MPA candidate in his constituency -- who lost the election.

He said Mr Qureshi, being the party vice chairman, had stated just two days before that the party would win five out of the six MNA seats from Multan. Stressing that Mr Qureshi had given this remark about his seat, Mr Deharr said, “When the party vice chairman says the party will lose a seat then some 20,000 neutral votes just go away.”

“The party should also take action against Mr Qureshi in a manner that justice is seen,” Mr Deharr asserted.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2020