Summary
- While parliamentarians and party wings diligently organise weekly worker turnouts at Adiala jail, leaders express concern that her combative statements, such as declaring that protesters will not return once they arrive and that firing on workers will not be tolerated, could incite supporters to violence.
- Critics within the party point out that while 14 workers were shot during the D-Chowk protests, the leadership failed to register even a single First Information Report (FIR).
- A senior party leader from KP questioned the strategic choice to repeatedly call upon the province’s workers, pointing out that current KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is heavily embroiled in legal cases and may not be able to galvanise the public as effectively as former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has decided to formally support Aleema Khan’s call for a new ‘long march’ aimed at securing the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Despite declaring official solidarity with the family, the party’s senior leadership is reportedly gripped by internal panic. Many fear the planned demonstration could culminate in another ‘false-flag operation’ similar to the May 9, 2023, unrest, or a tragic crackdown akin to the D-Chowk violence in November 2024.
According to senior party insiders, Aleema Khan’s recent rhetoric has sparked considerable anxiety. While parliamentarians and party wings diligently organise weekly worker turnouts at Adiala jail, leaders express concern that her combative statements, such as declaring that protesters will not return once they arrive and that firing on workers will not be tolerated, could incite supporters to violence. Critics within the party point out that while 14 workers were shot during the D-Chowk protests, the leadership failed to register even a single First Information Report (FIR).
Further rifts have emerged regarding the party’s reliance on mobilisation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) rather than Punjab. A senior party leader from KP questioned the strategic choice to repeatedly call upon the province’s workers, pointing out that current KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is heavily embroiled in legal cases and may not be able to galvanise the public as effectively as former Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Previous attempts by Bushra Bibi to mobilise workers at D-Chowk also failed to yield the desired political results.
Addressing the controversy, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram rejected claims of internal rifts or the promotion of ‘family politics’, maintaining that the party and the chairman’s family remain entirely on the same page. He reiterated that the party’s singular objective is the immediate release of Imran Khan, and they will fully support any individual or effort working towards that goal.
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