Aamir Liaquat Hussain, televangelist and member National Assembly elected on PTI ticket, who triggered a controversy Tuesday after expressing resentment against party leadership, has reportedly left the ‘WhatsApp group’ of the party created for holding key discussions of party lawmakers. In a voice message, Mr. Hussain said he got the party ticket after lodging his protest, but added that it was ‘resentful’ to have been avoided by the party from a luncheon of key party leaders at the Governor House on Tuesday. He said it was his protest that prompted governor to speak to him on telephone. Yesterday, the PTI MNA in a TV talk show had claimed that a gathering was held at Governor House with party MNAs in presence but, according to him, he was not invited to it. He further complained that Prime Minister Imran Khan did not nominate anyone from Karachi and completely ignored the province for the post of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. PTI Karachi President Firdous Shamim Naqvi categorically denied that any luncheon was organised by the party in Karachi. Naqvi said there had been no such meet-up, adding, “I don’t know why Mr. Liaquat is making such statements. He will have to answer for them himself.’ Speaking to the media on Wednesday, PTI senator Faisal Javed Khan said that the disgruntled leader was neither leaving PTI nor creating a forward bloc within the party. Javed said that it was not Hussain that people of the metropolis had voted for but Prime Minister Imran Khan. “Even if Imran Khan had nominated a pole instead of Aamir Liaquat, it would have won,” he remarked. Javed said that the former TV personality liked to create a hype about things but the party would soon convince him to come back on track. “I don’t understand why he would say such a thing,” Javed said. He adding that Hussain would change his stance within 24 hours. He also mentioned that Hussain had earlier said that he wished to sit with Khan and make a speech. The PTI MNA’s behaviour was “very wrong if done so in order to be handed a ministry”, Javed said. “He has this nature, he is adventurous but we will persuade him to resolve all issues amicably and you all will hear different news in the morning,” Faisal Javed added. Published in Daily Times, August 30th 2018.