Imran Khan tells all PTI members to step down from KP govt positions

Founder Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has directed all party members holding positions in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to step down from their party roles. This move aims to allow newly appointed KP chapter president Junaid Akbar to restructure the party without internal restrictions. 

After visiting Khan in Adiala Jail on Tuesday, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja conveyed the directive. Raja emphasised that the decision was necessary to improve PTI's provincial organisational framework.

Last month, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur resigned from his position as head of PTI in KP and was replaced by Junaid Akbar. Raja dismissed any association with expelled individuals such as Sher Afzal Marwat and Fawad Chaudhry and underlined Imran Khan's commitment to supporting devoted party members.

Raja added that PTI lawmakers who did not contact the party leadership during the voting on the 26th Constitutional Amendment would have an opportunity to clarify their position.

Speaking about Khan's current jail status, Raja also disclosed that the former prime minister is having his rights restricted and is preparing to send an official letter to Pakistan's Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.

The letter would draw attention to alleged irregularities in the prison system, specifically highlighting the potential influence of "unseen forces" on the jail administration.

PTI's position on political opposition and Sindh

Raja addressed Sindh's ongoing political unrest by reaffirming PTI's dedication to defending the province's rights, particularly concerning opposition to dam development and governance issues. The party leadership has pledged to continue opposing government policies through legal channels and institutions.

Separately, Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI's central information secretary, criticised the federal government's economic incompetence and condemned excessive public spending and borrowing. He claimed that Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, was being strategically positioned for greater political power, which, he said, could further destabilize the nation politically, economically, and socially. He further accused the governing party of "squandering national resources."

Khan's dissatisfaction with Pakistan's loss in cricket

Aleema Khan, Imran Khan's sister, claimed that Imran Khan was able to watch Pakistan’s match against India in the ICC Champions Trophy via PTV despite being denied basic jail facilities. She revealed that Khan, a former cricket captain, shared the frustrations of millions of supporters nationwide, as he was extremely upset by the team's poor performance.

These recent events highlight PTI’s ongoing internal restructuring, its challenges in opposition, and Khan’s continued influence over the party despite his imprisonment.