PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur highlighted growing divisions within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying a campaign is underway to elevate Aleema Khan, sister of party founder Imran Khan, to chairman.
Gandapur, speaking to the media, alleged that PTI founder’s sister Aleema Khan was not only refusing to rein in the vloggers but was actively backing their undermining campaign.
The KP CM mentioned he had also conveyed to the PTI founder that columnist Hafeezullah Niazi — a relative of Khan — was writing articles portraying Aleema Khan as both the “party chairperson and prime minister”.
The chief minister stated that a campaign was underway to make Aleema the chairperson of the party, which he warned was damaging the PTI.
He added that efforts were being made to sow despair in the party, with propaganda claiming that no serious effort was underway for the PTI founder’s release.
According to Gandapur, PTI is splintering into factions driven by vested interests. “I laid out the facts as they are before the PTI founder,” he said.
He said that the meeting with the PTI founder had a long time coming and that he had tried to touch on a wide range of issues requiring consultation.
In the previous meeting, too, matters of reforms and government changes had been discussed, Gandapur recalled. He said he had informed the PTI founder earlier that his government intended to make some changes.
During the latest consultation, reforms and cabinet reshuffles had been discussed in detail.
After the meeting with the PTI founder, Gandapur called Aqibullah and Faisal Tarakai and informed them of the decisions made.
He emphasised that such developments were normal in government affairs.
The chief minister added that both Aqibullah and Tarakai had been part of his team, and further reforms and changes were now being implemented after consultation with the PTI founder.
Gandapur also stated that the PTI founder had issued directions regarding both party and government matters.
Gandapur also explained that his government had presented the provincial budget to avoid legal complications; otherwise, the government itself would have collapsed.
KP CM acknowledged the presence of groupings within the party earlier this month; however, he denied any role in them.
Talking to the media at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on September 15, he called upon the party workers not to become part of any groupings.
He alleged that the government was not allowing him to meet Khan to increase differences within the party.
