Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub Khan will remain as the party’s secretary-general, despite his resignation not being accepted. This decision came under the directive of founding chairman Imran Khan, according to a statement from the former ruling party.
Omar Ayub Khan had recently stepped down from his position as secretary-general to concentrate on his responsibilities as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan. However, his resignation was rejected after the PTI’s core committee and parliamentary party unanimously opposed it, urging him to continue in his role.
The party’s official statement highlighted that the opposition leader will continue to serve as PTI secretary-general, leveraging his political experience and leadership skills for the benefit of the party.
“The parliamentary party and the core committee of PTI, through separate unanimous resolutions, expressed their trust in him, praised his services, and requested him to remain as PTI secretary-general,” the statement read. It also mentioned that the former prime minister, currently incarcerated, appreciated Ayub’s contributions and acknowledged his sacrifices for the party.
Omar Ayub Khan had submitted his resignation on June 22, 2024, in a letter addressed to the jailed Imran Khan and party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. In the letter, Ayub, also the NA opposition leader, indicated that further changes in the PTI’s organizational structure would occur in the coming days as directed by the party founder.
This development occurred amidst reports of internal rifts within the PTI. According to Geo News, 27 PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers were considering resigning from the National Assembly in protest against the party’s top leadership. Insiders reported that 21 lawmakers suggested forming a forward bloc due to the leadership’s failure to secure the release of the party founder from jail.
Former PM Imran Khan acknowledged the existence of rifts and factions within the party but denied any major differences or the formation of a forward bloc within the PTI.
