By Muhammad Luqman
MNA Ayesha Gulalai has announced to exit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf after making scathing allegations against party chairman Imran Khan and other top party leaders.
Gulalai made the announcement moments before the election of a new prime minister on Tuesday, accusing Imran Khan of meting ‘ill-treatment’ to women in the party as the reason for her decision.
Gulalai at a press conference later Tuesday said that she was not leaving the PTI to join the PML-N.
The MNA, who hails from the tribal area of Waziristan and was elected to the Lower House on a reserved seat for women from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, claimed that the culture being promoted by certain party leaders was not in line with Pakthtun cultural values.
“Women workers are not respected in the PTI and a respectable woman worker cannot remain in the party,” she alleged.
Gulalai, who is a former PPP member, and has been a staunch and vocal supporter of the PTI and Imran Khan, often featuring in prime time talkshows to defend party policies, will be resigning from both her party membership and NA seat.
Responding to Ayesha Gulalai’s allegations, PTI’s Shireen Mazari said that the PTI worker was disgruntled after being denied a party ticket in the upcoming General Election from the NA-1 constituency.
Mazari alleged Gulalai had called on PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Monday evening, along with a delegation, demanding he confirm the party ticket, which, Mazari said, was ‘unacceptable’ as Khan was not allowed to take unilateral decisions in this regard.
Mazari also claimed Gulalai had resorted to levelling false allegations against the party and personal attacks against Khan upon failure to acquire the ticket.
