The rift between the PTI and the TTAP widens after the latter declined a formal invitation to attend a rally on April 19, exposing internal divisions within the PTI, with rival factions trading accusations of unilateral action and government embezzlement. Party sources and a TTAP office-bearer say Mehmood Khan Achakzai has refused to attend the April 19 rally, citing two concerns: that a rally in KP would be futile and that TTAP was not consulted before the announcement. According to sources, on Tuesday, PTI KP leader Atif Khan contacted TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain initially and later contacted TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai for an announcement about their participation in the April 19 rally in Mardan. Senior PTI leader and a central official confirmed to The Express Pakinomist on Wednesday evening that Achakzai had refused to attend the rally, adding that the TTAP chief’s decision to skip the PTI event was justified, noting that it was the third time the opposition alliance had been sidelined in major decisions. From the formation of Imran Khan "Release power" to the announcement of the April 9 meeting and then the April 19 meeting, the PTI KP leadership took every decision without consulting the TTAP leadership, which the PTI was required to do as per the party founder’s orders. He said the party stood with the TTAP and described its objection as valid, adding that younger leaders in the KP tended to act unilaterally. He said Salman Akram Raja’s outburst over a question on Aleema Khan’s remarks underscored a deeper divide within the PTI. He said that this party in KP has limited political understanding but considers itself as Aristotle-like figures in politics. He said Shahid Khattak’s media-reported remarks against the TTAP leadership, in which he allegedly claimed that PTI would strip Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Nasir of their positions and powers, reflected a shallow understanding of the alliance’s politics. "Now pigs like Shahid Khattak will decide how PTI will function," he joked. Another PTI office-bearer said objections against the central leadership were justified, claiming that it was running the party according to the state’s expectations without providing relief to Imran Khan, who is reportedly close to losing sight in one eye. He added that the main criticism was aimed at lawyer Gohar Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja. "They have no policy or direction and have failed to create leverage for negotiations. In contrast, KP CM Sohail Afridi and his team are trying to pressurize the government for talks."
Another leader said that the KP Chief Minister and his team are aligned with Aleema Khan and she is kept informed about important decisions. He added that this group sees the central leadership as soft and unwilling to take a hard line with the state. When contacted, PTI’s central spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said there were differences of opinion in the party on some issues. On TTAP, he said he had been informed that the group had reservations about the upcoming rally, adding that the PTI would soon call a meeting to address the issues. TTAP spokesperson Hussain confirmed that the alliance was not consulted ahead of the Mardan rally. However, he said he was not aware of the outcome of the talks between Atif Khan and Achakzai.
