ARY News anchor Kashif Abbasi revealed during his program Off The Record that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja resigned following comments made by former First Lady Bushra Bibi.
Citing sources, Abbasi stated that several senior PTI leaders stepped down after a heated meeting with Bushra Bibi, where she allegedly used strong and derogatory language, including terms like “beghairat” (shameless) and “vultures,” to describe the leadership.
The meeting, held in Peshawar with around 10 party leaders ahead of PTI’s November 26 rally in Islamabad, was reportedly marked by Bushra Bibi’s frustration. She directed all MNAs and MPs to mobilize at least 5,000 supporters for the Islamabad protest, warning them that failure to meet this target would result in denial of party tickets in the next elections.
Her remarks sparked further controversy during a subsequent political committee meeting in Islamabad, where she again expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership’s performance at the D-Chowk rally. The use of harsh words reportedly led to the resignations of Salman Akram Raja and Firdous Shamim Naqvi from their positions.
Sources within PTI claim Bushra Bibi’s conduct was a primary factor behind the leadership crisis, causing significant damage to the party. Raja reportedly raised objections to her remarks after she left the meeting, asserting that he was a political leader and not accountable to Imran Khan’s family. Similarly, Naqvi also expressed disapproval of her behavior.