Islamabad: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has strongly criticized Salman Akram Raja following his announcement to resign as PTI Secretary General, saying the move is nothing more than a symbolic gesture.
Chaudhry argued that Raja would not actually relinquish his position and accused him of being ineffective in handling the party’s legal affairs. He said PTI had suffered due to its failure to properly fight its cases in court, adding that the responsibility rested with those entrusted to lead the party’s legal strategy.
“Salman Akram Raja was made chairman of the legal committee, but he completely failed to deliver. The legal course he adopted turned out to be disastrous for the party,” Chaudhry remarked. He further alleged that Raja “never did anything in his life without money.”
The former minister maintained that had PTI pursued the legal plan he proposed, the party would not be facing its current setbacks. Citing an example, he said no appeal had yet been filed in the Supreme Court in the case of former minister Zartaj Gul. He added that the present PTI legal team was preoccupied elsewhere, leaving crucial cases unattended.
Chaudhry went on to say that Shah Mehmood Qureshi remained the only ray of hope for the party. “If Qureshi is released, PTI’s political direction could change significantly, as he has already secured acquittals in important cases,” he said.
Rejecting the treatment of PTI leaders, Chaudhry insisted: “We are politicians, not terrorists. Political disputes must be resolved through dialogue.” He stressed that PTI’s founder continued to enjoy public support and could not be sidelined.
In a sharp personal attack, Chaudhry accused Raja of submitting forged documents in the Maryam Nawaz case using the controversial Calibri font. He also claimed Raja had clashed with Aleema Khanum, who opposed his involvement in the party’s political committee, arguing that Imran Khan had instructed PTI not to contest by-elections.
“Salman Akram Raja is only creating noise and has no real intention of leaving his post,” Chaudhry concluded.۔‘‘
