LAHORE: A fresh political controversy has erupted after the National Dialogue Committee (NDC) claimed that jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi voiced dissatisfaction with the party’s current leadership and expressed concerns over its engagement with imprisoned leaders.
The claims followed a meeting between an NDC delegation, led by former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, and senior PTI figures held at Kot Lakhpat Jail. According to the committee, Qureshi questioned the party’s political direction, saying imprisoned leaders had been sidelined and were not being consulted on key political decisions. The NDC also alleged that the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) had failed to seek guidance from senior leaders behind bars.
Both PTI and TTAP strongly rejected the committee’s version of events, dismissing the allegations as inaccurate. However, several senior PTI figures privately acknowledged that maintaining stronger communication with jailed leaders has become an important issue within the party.
Fawad Chaudhry argued that PTI’s imprisoned senior leadership should play a central role in guiding the party and participating in any future negotiations with the government. He also suggested that the party’s political movement had weakened over time and stressed the need to reduce political tensions to create space for meaningful dialogue.
Responding to the claims, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram questioned the credibility of the NDC, saying the party remains in regular contact with its jailed leaders through legal representatives and continues to receive their advice on important matters. He also accused the committee of previously misrepresenting Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s views and urged caution in accepting its latest statements.
Despite rejecting the NDC’s account, Waqas acknowledged that party leaders should meet imprisoned colleagues more frequently. He said several senior PTI leaders, including Barrister Gohar and Salman Akram Raja, have visited jailed party members, but added that such meetings should become a regular practice to recognize their sacrifices.
TTAP Information Secretary Akhundzada Hussain also denied suggestions that imprisoned leaders had been excluded from decision-making. He maintained that the alliance remains in contact with them through legal channels and continues to seek their input on significant political matters, although it does not receive permission for direct meetings similar to those granted to the NDC.
Meanwhile, several PTI leaders admitted that limited engagement with jailed colleagues has created frustration within party ranks. They warned that failing to acknowledge the sacrifices of imprisoned workers could weaken morale and affect the party’s unity.
In its statement issued after the prison meeting, the NDC said the jailed PTI leaders supported dialogue as the only viable path to resolving Pakistan’s political and economic challenges. The committee also claimed the leaders emphasized the importance of national unity in confronting terrorism and called for reducing political tensions to facilitate negotiations and the release of political prisoners.
According to the NDC, Shah Mehmood Qureshi also praised Field Marshal Asim Munir’s role in international diplomacy while stressing that meaningful political dialogue within Pakistan is now essential to achieving lasting political stability. The committee further stated that the jailed leaders believed allowing PTI founder Imran Khan access to medical treatment and easing restrictions on meetings with him could help lower the country’s political temperature and create an environment conducive to dialogue.
