ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday suspended senior lawyer Hamid Khan’s basic party membership.

The PTI issued him a show cause notice for “defaming and maligning” the party through his statements on print and electronic media.

The show cause notice has been issued by PTI secretary general Amir Mehmood Kiyani, asking Mr Khan to explain his position in writing within seven days.

Details say, the show-cause notice was sent to Hamid on the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also the PTI’s chairman.

Hamid Khan, who is one of the PTI’s founding members and a part of the team that had written the PTI’s first constitution, had accused the party of aiding the “establishment” during a TV show recently.

Mr Khan has earlier disputed with the party’s leadership for accepting turncoats in the party, claiming that such inductions would damage the basic ideology of the party.

The show cause notice sent to Mr Khan says,

“It has been noted by the undersigned and Chairman of the party Imran Khan that you have repeatedly, in the print and electronic media, spoken against and maligned/defamed the party without any justification, and on the basis of fake and false allegations which amount to mala fide.”

It states that Mr Khan has been “charged with having committed misconduct, violated party discipline and party constitution by making fake, false, frivolous and wrong allegations, bringing the party matters in the media for ulterior motives and thereby acting against party interest and also hurting ¬feelings of party members and workers.”

“In view thereof, your behaviour has badly damaged the cause of the party and attracted a bad image of the party, within the country and outside the country.

“You are hereby given a show cause notice to explain your position in writing within seven days as to why action should not be taken against you under Article XII (5.3) of the Party Constitution 2019 (i.e. expulsion from the Party)

It further states, “In the meanwhile, till the final decision of your instant inquiry, your basic membership of the Party (PTI) shall remain suspended with immediate effect.”

The PTI has also prevented Mr Hamid Khan from “speaking, commenting on media (electronic, print and social) against party matters and policy decisions of the party and also against members of PTI”.