Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing internal divisions over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi’s announcement to form a special “force” aimed at securing the release of party founder Imran Khan. The announcement came suddenly after the Tehreek Tahaffuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) ended its sit-in outside the Supreme Court on the eve of Ramadan. Many party members said they were taken by surprise.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said he first learned about the proposal when Afridi announced it publicly. He stressed that such a force would require approval from the party’s Political Committee or Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. Akram questioned the need for a new force when PTI already has existing structures, such as the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) and PTI Youth Wings.
Afridi’s aide, Shafi Ullah Jan, disagreed. He said the force would be established as announced, even without Political Committee approval. Jan said the chief minister has been entrusted by Imran Khan to manage street movements. If Afridi believed the force would help rally supporters, it would proceed regardless of objections.
Inside the party, the Political Committee is sharply divided on the proposal. Some members questioned why a new force was needed when PTI already has organized wings. Others supported Afridi, arguing that the initiative could energize the party’s grassroots supporters.
Meanwhile, five senior PTI leaders imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore called for pausing all protest activities during Ramadan. The leaders—Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mian Mahmood Rashid—urged the party to focus on parliamentary politics and legal action to ensure Imran Khan receives proper medical care.
They also condemned political attacks on Imran Khan’s health and called on the government to consult his family and personal doctors. The leaders emphasized the importance of a unified party narrative and asked that all public statements be made only through the chairman, secretary general, or information secretary.
The jailed leaders also stressed organizational revival. They called for the reactivation of all PTI wings and office-bearers at every level. They said a disciplined and dynamic party structure is essential for political struggle and preparation for upcoming local government elections.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Afridi’s “Release Imran Khan Force” is unconstitutional and illegal. He said no one except the federal government has the right to create such a force. Asif added that Afridi may have made the announcement to protect his own position. He clarified that there were no official plans to move Imran Khan abroad or to his residence in Bani Gala.
The announcement has heightened tensions within PTI. Party insiders say the coming days will determine whether Afridi’s plan goes ahead or if the leadership reaches a consensus. Observers say the controversy underscores the growing challenges within PTI over leadership strategy, party discipline, and political activism.
At the same time, PTI leaders highlight broader national issues. They say the party must continue to focus on rising insecurity, terrorism, economic instability, inflation, unemployment, and other social challenges. Organizational unity, legal advocacy, and coordinated political action are seen as critical for the party’s future direction.
