The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has expelled musician Salman Ahmad from its ranks for launching a campaign against jailed party founder Imran Khan’s family.

In a post on X, Ahmad criticised Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi regarding her political involvement during the protests on November 26, which drew backlash from PTI supporters.

Khan, speaking to reporters after a court session at Adiala Jail last week, condemned Ahmad for making unfounded allegations against the former first lady, labelling his posts as “foolish.”

In a notification released by the PTI Central Secretariat, the party stated that Ahmad had “consistently sought to sow division and discontent” among its members and supporters through his “unwarranted and scurrilous posts” on social media.

The notification stated that Ahmad’s basic membership is terminated “effective immediately”, and he is instructed to cease any affiliation with PTI.

Issued by PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, the notification highlighted that Ahmad was previously warned via press releases from the PTI Core Committee to refrain from making objectionable posts. Despite such warnings, he continued to defy Khan’s directives.

The party distanced itself from Ahmad’s actions and cautioned him about the repercussions of his behaviour. Ahmad has been a long-time supporter of PTI, frequently performing at party events. In 2022, he was designated as Khan’s focal person for culture.