Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD: Disgruntled lawmakers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the National Assembly have decided to write to party founder Imran Khan, expressing their concerns about party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s leadership.
The lawmakers, including Member of National Assembly Amjad Khan, have accused Barrister Gohar of making decisions that go against the party’s interests. The sources revealed that the PTI members are particularly unhappy with Gohar’s handling of parliamentary affairs.
One of the primary grievances comes from MNA Amjad Khan, who presented a bill proposing free health facilities in the National Assembly’s standing committee. The bill was opposed by PTI chairman Imran Khan, and despite efforts to push the resolution through the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies, it faced strong opposition.
Amjad Khan, in an attempt to gather support, consulted with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the first lady. However, the bill was still opposed by the PTI chairman.
Another PTI lawmaker, Changaze Ahmad Khan, has also voiced concerns about Barrister Gohar, accusing him of opposing his bill regarding the establishment of a high court in Faisalabad.
According to sources, Khan claimed that PTI lawmakers regularly table bills, only to have them opposed by the party chairman. The lawmakers are now preparing to formally address these concerns in their letter to Imran Khan, informing him of Gohar’s non-cooperation with parliamentary leaders.
In response, Imran Khan rejected the concerns raised by the lawmakers. He explained that when a private member proposes a bill, personal opinions are often given on the matter. Khan also argued that there was no need for legislation on the issues raised by the bills in question.
This internal division within the party is not new. PTI has faced previous rifts, particularly over the nomination for the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). PTI had initially nominated MNA Sher Afzal Marwat for the PAC chairmanship but later replaced him with the party’s spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram.
Marwat’s removal led to friction within the party, with Marwat accusing senior party leaders of preventing him from meeting Imran Khan. He alleged that PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz conspired to block his appointment.
Subsequently, Marwat was issued a show-cause notice for violating PTI’s code of conduct and was expelled from the party’s core and political committees under Imran Khan’s directives.
This ongoing internal strife reflects the challenges PTI faces in managing its internal dynamics, with disagreements continuing to surface over important political and legislative decisions.
