Faisal Vawda, who was expelled from the PTI last year, has claimed that former PTI leaders have recorded statements against the former premier in cases pertaining to events of May 9.

“Those, who have done this act of May 9, have, along with their phones, recorded their statements that they were ordered by the PTI chief,” he said at Asma Shirazi show Faisla Aap Ka on Thursday. “And I am speaking about the first tier of leadership.”

The panellists, which also included journalist Mazhar Abbas, discussed the recent political developments and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement that the ruling alliance would “hopefully” hand over the government to the caretaker set up in August.

When the host asked the guest about the number of people, he said that those who were “very special” and whom the PTI chief used to believe. He agreed with the host that such people used to be part of the party’s Zoom meetings.

“All of them have said that here is their phone. Some have tapped the meetings and the PTI chief even said such things when I was part of it. Party’s own people recorded it. That’s why he had formed a four-member committee. It is a closed alley for the party meeting,” said Vawda.

Several leaders of PTI, along with many supporters, were arrested following the events of May 9. Top leaders were released after many days, however, most of them decided to part ways with the party. And some were still keeping mum on their time in jail.

Vawda, the former federal minister, claimed that now the PTI chief is blamed for all the wrongdoing on May 9. He described the situation by saying that the former prime minister was 200% accused of the acts after such confessional statements.

Amidst concerns that there were deliberate attempts to ban the PTI, he negated such impressions. But he said how a party would succeed if there would be no one to buy party tickets. “The reason could be unknown fear,” he said and added that the chairman was the party.

He went on to add that Pakistan Democratic Movement, independents, and, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party would be the beneficiary of the absence of PTI.

Vawda alleged that no one would have a simple majority for the next 25 to 30 years and claimed that “everything was controlled” in underdeveloped countries.

The former PTI leader alleged that decisions on cases, including 190 million pounds, against the PTI chief would soon be made. “I don’t see any role of the PTI chief in the general elections. They have given this on a plate to this incompetent govt,” he said and claimed that the graft case had links to the PM House.

Journalist Abbas was of the view that many cases, which were described as open and shut, were dragged and remained pending.

“For me, every person is innocent who is not proven guilty. If the PTI chairman is punished or his appeal is rejected then this is a situation,” he said and wondered about the reaction from the people, international observers, and media observers if there was a situation like “minus PTI or minus PTI chairman”.

Vawda negated such views and described Mazhar’s views as “idealistic, not realistic”. He spoke about the history of Pakistani politics where, according to him, the politician waits to see which way the wind blows.

In reaction, Abbas lamented that now realistic things were being called idealistic. He mentioned that people like him raised similar issues when PTI came to power in 2018 and when PTI was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022.

When asked about the timing of elections, Vawda related it to the often “delayed” flights of Pakistan International Airlines. He mentioned that it can be delayed for five hours or a few days.

“This is not idealistic if you don’t proceed constitutionally. If you want to run a fake government where a fake society and a fake system are there then we should not say Constitution is there,” said Abbas.

The former PTI leader agreed with the host when she asked whether elections would be held after the matters of the PTI chairman were decided.