Swabi Jalsa: Junaid Akbar’s audio leak exposes false attendance claims by workers

PESHAWAR: An audio of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar has been leaked over social media. In the audio, Akbar can be heard saying that PTI workers have submitted false claims over attendance statistics of Swabi jalsa.

On February 8, PTI held a rally in Swabi to commemorate one-year anniversary of the General Elections, which the opposition party claims were rigged. Junaid Akbar had been elevated to the party’s presidential presidency days before the rally, replacing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Swabi protest: Junaid Akbar asks PTI workers for rally headcount

After the rally, Akbar sought reports from PTI workers and office holders on the number of people that were brought to the rally.

Now, the audio leak reveals that false attendance reports have been submitted by party workers as well as PTI’s provincial and national assembly members, for Swabi jalsa. “90 percent of PTI officials shared wrong information about Swabi rally,” Akbar says in the audio.

He also says, “I have my reports, I know each and every one of them. MPAs, MNAs and officials made false statements regarding statistics. The purpose of sharing the collected reports [and publishing them] on social media was to tell the workers how honest your leadership is. Whoever made false statements should be ashamed.”

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Akbar says in the audio that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is his turf and he is well aware of who brought how many workers to the rally. He says that by making these reports public, the workers and voters of the party will also come to know how honest the leadership and officials are.

“I have the reports, I will hand them over to [PTI founder and former chairman] Imran Khan,” Junaid Akbar says, adding, “I even know who wore what clothes in the rally”.

He reveals that some party members have sent him videos from previous events in Islamabad and other programs. “Do they think I am stupid?” Akbar lashes out in the audio, before going on to say that the presidency position is neither his desire nor compulsion nor a need for him. “It is a responsibility that the Imran Khan has given [to me]. I would be happy if this responsibility is taken back from me,” Akbar says.

Sher Afzal Marwat needs to respect party discipline

PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President said that unfortunately groups have formed in the party and wrong people are being supported. He pledges that he will not support any ‘wrong’ person, no matter how influential they may be.

“If I cannot stick to my word, I will leave the position,” Junaid Akbar says in the leaked audio.