A political standoff within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has taken a new turn as the party officially decided to retain Junaid Akbar Khan as its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president, ruling out any immediate organizational changes following his disappearance since the imposition of governor's rule.
According to Geo News, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan shared a notification on his X account confirming that Akbar would continue serving in his provincial role. The notification stated that in Akbar's absence, Senator Noor-ul-Haq Qadri will preside over party meetings and perform constitutional duties, while PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa General Secretary Ali Asghar Khan will oversee all organizational matters. Geo News reported that no changes of any kind will be made to the current structure until further orders.
Background
According to Geo News, the notification followed a public disagreement between PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur regarding the provincial leadership. Raja had recently alleged that undemocratic decision-makers were attempting to undermine internal party consensus, referring to a narrative that 68 members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were preparing to name a provincial president and a candidate for the next chief minister without the approval of PTI founder Imran Khan and the Political Committee. Raja also stated that this group had cut off contact with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his team during the final days of protests, which he suggested may have paved the way for state coercion, an emergency, and governor's rule.
In response, Geo News reported that Gandapur challenged Raja to publicly identify the individuals he was accusing. Gandapur questioned which lawmakers were allegedly attempting to bypass the leadership and emphasized that the party belongs to Imran Khan, asserting that members do not require loyalty certificates from anyone.
Why it matters
For ordinary observers and party supporters in Pakistan, these developments highlight ongoing internal discussions and friction within the political leadership during a period of administrative transition and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The clear demarcation of responsibilities announced by the party leadership aims to maintain administrative continuity in the province while addressing internal disagreements over decision-making processes and organizational unity.