PTI’s grueling internal crisis

ISLAMABAD:

Ali Amin Gandapur was once the face of PTI’s opposition. Handpicked by jailed PTI founder Imran Khan as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he was seen as a hardliner who was able to maintain the party’s confrontational stance while its leader remained behind bars.

He twice led protesters towards the capital demanding Imran Khan’s release.

But in the last week, the picture broke. Gandapur faced criticism from within his own ranks after giving interviews questioning the party’s strategy. Once celebrated for defiance, he now faces hostility from parts of the very support base that once hailed him.

The shift from hero to villain, analysts say, reflects deepening internal divisions within the PTI and a growing lack of clarity over its strategic direction at a time when its central leadership remains under pressure.

Gandapur claimed that while serving as chief minister, he had urged party leaders and even Imran Khan’s sisters not to follow a hostile approach but instead focus on securing the PTI leader’s release. He further stated that Imran was misled in jail by some party leaders regarding the extent of street support.

His remarks sparked a strong reaction from party hardliners, who called him a “coward”.

Still, insiders suggest that Gandapur’s position is not isolated. Some within the party believe that a recalibration of the strategy is necessary rather than a continued confrontation with those in power.
It was partly for this reason that Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were appointed as Leaders of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Senate in the hope that their involvement could help open channels of communication with other stakeholders.

However, hardliners remain unhappy with the decision to empower the opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan. Longtime party workers feel sidelined, believing that years of loyalty have not translated into influence within the evolving power structure.

Analysts point to a growing communication gap in the party. With the leader cut off from direct contact, confusion has permeated the upper echelons. Critics have also questioned Barrister Gohar’s leadership, asking if he was appointed simply to counter statements from other party figures.

Senior political analyst Hassan Askari characterizes the situation as one of “leadership dependency and infighting.” “Many political parties are heavily dependent on their leadership and with key figures like Imran Khan and a few others arrested or sidelined, the remaining second- or third-tier leaders are struggling to maintain energy, direction and internal coherence. Without a clearly established hierarchy or self-sustaining leadership, the party cannot pursue its intended agenda and lacks strategic focus and organization both a clear coordinated effort and action focus. Difficult,” Askari told The Express Pakinomist on Sunday.

According to Zaigham Khan, the responsibility lies in PTI’s structural development. He argues that the party continues to function more as a movement than a fully institutionalized political party, having never completed the post-power transition that established parties such as the Pakistan Peoples Party underwent.

“Its decision-making and mobilization has long revolved around Imran Khan as the central authority, and his absence has exposed structural weaknesses such as lack of hierarchy, weak institutional mechanisms and leadership competition, which has produced the strategic confusion now visible in the party,” Zaigham said.

In addition to internal organizational divisions, the government views Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanam, as a major factor in the ongoing tensions. The latest episode concerns Imran Khan’s health, with Aleema insisting that the party maintain its sit-in until he gets access to his own doctors.

The party chose something else. In a recent interview, she maintained that she was not interfering in party affairs but was focused on her brother’s health, suggesting that PTI leaders unwilling to fight for him should step aside.

Zaigham Khan describes Aleema Khanam as the most credible source of communication in the party and one of its strongest internal power centers.