PTI Faces Internal Rift After Failed Protest March, Leaders Trade Blame

Tensions deepen within Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as senior figures clash over party leadership, accountability and the fallout from its protest campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

October 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM
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PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founded by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, is facing growing internal divisions following the failure of its recent protest march, with senior leaders publicly trading accusations and calls emerging for accountability and changes in the party leadership.

The differences came into the open on Wednesday when PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur exchanged accusations over their commitment to the party.

The dispute has exposed tensions over who should lead the party in the province, how decisions should be made in Khan’s absence and what steps PTI should take after its latest protest campaign failed to achieve its objectives.

The fallout has also intensified concerns within the party over the political consequences of the march, including the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the challenges facing Khan, who remains in jail.

Leadership Dispute

The immediate trigger was a reported meeting of around 55 PTI lawmakers from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on October 14, held via Zoom and WhatsApp, to discuss party organisation, negotiations with the federal government, future protests and legal matters.

According to a handwritten resolution seen by Dawn, the lawmakers unanimously proposed Gandapur as acting provincial party president in place of Junaid Akbar, who has been absent since governor’s rule was imposed in the province.

Raja challenged the move, arguing that provincial leadership decisions could not be made without authorisation from Imran Khan or the party’s political committee.

He also alleged that 68 lawmakers were being portrayed as a group preparing to decide the provincial president and the next chief minister independently.

Gandapur Hits Back

Gandapur rejected Raja’s allegations and demanded evidence, insisting that provincial lawmakers did not need anyone to certify their loyalty to Khan or PTI.

He also questioned who had authorised an investigation into the alleged internal manoeuvring and challenged the reported appointment of Ali Asghar Khan as acting provincial president.

The exchange has brought disagreements over party authority, provincial representation and protest strategy into the open. PTI’s central leadership now faces pressure to clarify the disputed appointments and establish how allegations against its own elected representatives will be handled.

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