Adil Raja, Haider Mehdi have nothing to do with PTI: Marwat

ISLAMABAD: PTI Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Marwat on Tuesday disassociated his party from social media activists Adil Farooq Raja and Haider Raza Mehdi, both former army officers with large following on YouTube, calling them ‘wrong numbers’, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference, the PTI MNA-elect, while referring to the YouTubers, said that some ‘fugitives’ are maligning the state of Pakistan and its armed forces.

Sher Afzal Marwat said that following the May 9 events – wherein military institutions came under attack after arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan – Adil Raja conducted a marathon live broadcast.

“He [Raja] gives an impression of being PTI’s well-wisher,” he said, telling the PTI workers and supporters that Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi are wrong numbers.

He recalled that he raised slogans of ‘Pakistan Army Zindabad’ in a PTI convention – which according to him is the narrative of PTI founder Imran Khan. “PTI is not against Pakistan Army,” he said, calling his party a ‘patriotic one’.

Following May 9, Marwat regretted, various political parties accused the PTI of being anti-state, saying that these people left no stone unturned in spreading such narratives.

“Adil Raja and Haider Mehdi are fugitives and court martialed”, he said, noting that their job is to mislead the PTI’s youth. “They are defaming our party,” he said, disassociating his party from the YouTubers.

“We will continue our struggle by staying within the legal framework”, Sher Afzal Marwat reiterated, asking his party workers and supporters to reject them.

Last year in November, Adil Farooq Raja and Haider Raza Mehdi were handed 14 and 12 years of jail sentence respectively following their Field General Court Martial for “inciting sedition”, the military’s media wing said.

The Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said both retired officers were convicted and sentenced “under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 for the charges of inciting sedition among army personnel from discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state”.

The ISPR said that Major (rtd) Raja was sentenced to “14 years rigorous punishment” while Captain (rtd) Mehdi was handed “12 years rigorous punishment”.

“The court of competent jurisdiction convicted and adjudged both the individuals on the date of Oct 7 and Oct 9, 2023, through due judicial process,” the military said.

“Pursuant to the awarded sentence, the ranks of both officers have been forfeited on Nov 21, 2023,” the statement said.

Neither Raja, nor Mehdi served the sentence as they are based outside of Pakistan.