Daily Times

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday suspended party lawmaker Dr Imran Ali Shah for a month after the video of him slapping a man, unprovoked surfaced online.

According PTI leader Ali Zaidi that the disciplinary committee will launch an inquiry and submit its findings towards the end of the month.

Further, PTI member Najeeb Haroon tweeted, “Due to the seriousness of the matter, a suspension by the organisation is warranted for a period of one month with immediate effect.”

PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said, “Matter is referred to PTI Sindh Chapter. They’ll inquire into the issue and if needed appropriate action will be taken.”

Many PTI supporters are however enraged by the suspension notice, claiming that the video is evidence enough and Shah should be kicked out of the party.

The video went viral on 14th, after which PTI took notice and said that Shah’s actions were ‘unacceptable’.

The notice said that Shah should present his version “within 24 hours” otherwise he would be referred to the disciplinary committee.

In the video, PTI’s MPA elect slapped the man, on a busy road multiple times and drove off afterwards.

The video also captured the MPA’s guards harassing the man.

After backlash on social media, the PTI lawmaker released a video, stating that he saw a man “repeatedly hitting a poor man’s car and stopped him”.

The PTI lawmaker further claimed that he had only ‘pushed’ the man(and not slapped him multiple times as is evident in the video) and apologised for “hurting anyone’s feelings”.

While he was guest at a talk show of a private TV channel, the MPA asserted that he was trying to ease a street brawl, when the person who he slapped, made derogatory remarks and provoked him.

He also claims to have apologized to the man he slapped, however, as mentioned earlier the video is evidence to the fact that he immediately walked towards his car after, of course, inflicting a round of physical abuse.

Party leaders have also criticized Shah and PTI leader Faisal Vawda has apologized on behalf of the party and said that justice will be done.

Sindh Governor nominee Imran Ismail also reiterated the same sentiments.