In an interaction with party workers at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, PTI’s founder revealed his lack of awareness about the distribution of party tickets for the upcoming general elections. Internal conflicts surfaced within PTI, fueled by alleged favoritism in ticket distribution, prompting discontent among party workers.
Addressing concerns, Imran Khan stated that he was not permitted to participate in ticket distribution discussions, raising questions about his ability to verbally decide on 850 tickets.
Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, a member of Imran’s legal team, conveyed workers’ concerns over ticket allotment to the PTI founder, leading to the withdrawal of disputed tickets.
Reports highlight turmoil within PTI, particularly in KP, where influential party leaders aspiring for chief minister roles were denied provincial seats, resulting in clashes between PTI’s establishment and an ambitious faction.
Allegations of irregularities in ticket allocations and protests by leaders like Asad Qaiser, Atif Khan, Shah Farman, Shahram Tarakai, Junaid Khan, and Sheheryar Khan Afridi added to internal strife. Despite their seniority, these leaders claimed they were not consulted, expressing a lack of confidence in the ticket allocation process.
PTI fielded candidates against former ally Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and his nephew Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, reflecting differences over last year’s May 9 mayhem. The announcement of candidates for 266 National Assembly seats by PTI, with some constituencies marked ‘pending,’ indicates ongoing disagreements in candidate selection.
