Cracks have appeared within PTI as 21 lawmakers, now part of the SIC, hinted at forming a separate group due to frustrations over the party’s leadership failing to secure the release of founder Imran Khan from jail, according to sources.
These lawmakers reportedly conveyed their dissatisfaction to PTI’s Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, urging them to take serious steps for the release of imprisoned leaders.
The tensions escalated after statements from PTI’s Shehryar Afridi about possibly resigning, prompting discussions among more than 27 PTI legislators. Some members, including Shandana Gulzar Khan and Sher Afzal Marwat, expressed protests against the leadership’s handling of the situation.
Several PTI lawmakers were absent from parliamentary sessions due to disagreements, alleging compromised leadership in both the Senate and National Assembly committees. They criticized leaders who seemed more interested in higher positions than in securing the release of imprisoned PTI figures.
The lawmakers discussed options including resigning from the assembly, with 21 of them considering forming a separate faction within PTI. These developments highlight deepening divisions within the party amidst ongoing challenges faced by its leadership.