PESHAWAR: Signs of internal unease have surfaced within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after more than 25 lawmakers reportedly remained absent from a parliamentary party meeting held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, fuelling speculation over divisions within the ruling provincial setup.
The meeting, chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, was attended by around 75 members of the 92-member parliamentary party, according to reports. Several notable party figures, including former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, were among those absent.
Party sources cited multiple reasons for the absences, including overseas travel and scheduling conflicts, while reports suggested some lawmakers remained dissatisfied after being excluded from the provincial cabinet formation process.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Afridi dismissed suggestions of internal fragmentation, saying the turnout demonstrated continued unity within the party despite what he described as attempts to create divisions. He reiterated the party’s commitment to PTI founder Imran Khan’s political vision and said the meeting focused on provincial governance, the upcoming budget and concerns regarding Khan’s health and access to medical care.
PTI leadership also moved to counter reports of a possible “forward bloc” within the party. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan rejected claims of organised dissent, stating that differences of opinion are natural within democratic parties but insisting that party members remain united under the founder’s leadership.
The development comes at a politically sensitive time as PTI prepares for key fiscal decisions, provincial governance challenges and continuing tensions between the party and the federal government.