Fresh differences have emerged within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following a social media post by party leader Salman Akram Raja, drawing strong criticism from former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and provincial lawmakers.
According to Express News, Raja urged party members not to believe conspiracy narratives. He said Ali Asghar had become acting provincial president following Junaid Akbar. He also described those spreading doubts as “snakes and their offspring” and said they would be defeated.
In response, an audio message attributed to Gandapur was leaked in a party group. Gandapur said the party did not belong to any individual and that decisions should be made by the party’s founder chairman, Imran Khan. He added that the founder’s directives had been followed in the past and would continue to be followed.
Criticising Raja’s remarks, Gandapur questioned his authority to label others as snakes. He also issued a warning, saying there were ways to make people understand if they failed to understand the message. He further made a pointed remark about the difficulty of accepting a party position.
Meanwhile, PTI members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly expressed serious reservations about Raja’s post. They said it was disappointing to see elected representatives facing allegations instead of receiving support during difficult political circumstances.
The lawmakers said provincial representatives were dealing with political pressure, legal cases and arrests. They called for parliamentary party views, ground realities and the mandate of elected representatives to be given due importance in provincial affairs and political decisions.
They also stressed that party decisions should be made through mutual consultation, respect and trust.
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