PTI expels rapist after welcoming him into party

Two days after he was welcomed into the party by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, convicted rapist, Farooq Bandiyal, was expelled by the former amid severe criticism.

In a statement on its official Twitter handle, PTI quoted Imran saying that “there was no place for convicted criminals in the party”.

Farooq Bandial was convicted by a military court during the reign of Ziaul Haq in the rape and robbery case at then popular actress Shabnam Ghosh’s house. Bandial, along with his friends, was sentenced to death but his death sentence was later changed to life sentence after his family reportedly pressurised Shabnam to “forgive” him. The actress later left the country and now lives in Bangladesh.

On Tuesday, Bandial met Imran Khan in the Khushab district of Punjab and announced joining the PTI. A picture of Imran Khan welcoming Bandial to the party ranks by placing a party-coloured muffler on his shoulders started making rounds on the internet after which social media erupted in outrage and disbelief.

Reacting to the denunciation, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry took to Twitter and said, “The PTI chairman took strict notice of reports suggesting that a convicted criminal recently joined his party.”

چئرمین تحریک انصاف عمران خان نے ان اطلاعات کا سخت نوٹس لیا ہے جن کے مطابق ایک سزا یافتہ مجرم تحریک انصاف کا حصہ بنا ہے ، نعیم الحق پر مبنی ایک رکنی کمیٹی تین دنوں میں حقائق چئرمین کے سامنے رکھے گی، تحریک انصاف کسی صورت اخلاقی معیارات پر سمجھوتہ نہیں کرے گی

— Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 31, 2018

The spokesman further said that a one-member committee comprising Naeemul Haque had been constituted to probe the matter, which would present all the facts to the PTI chief within three days.

“Tehreek-e-Insaf will not compromise moral standards in any case,” Fawad said.

Meanwhile, Naeemul Haque said that Farooq Bandiyal’s entry into PTI was unfortunate and that he had been expelled from the party with immediate effect. “We have no place for people with such a record in our party and he should not be in any political party.”

Farooq Bandials entry into PTI was unfortunate. He has been expelled from the party with immediate effect. We have no place for people with such record in our party. He should not even be in any political party.

— Naeem ul Haque (@naeemul_haque) May 31, 2018

PTI’s Shireen Mazari also tweeted that the party and Imran Khan had “zero tolerance for low lifes like Bandial”.