ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is witnessing internal upheaval after Secretary General Salman Akram Raja’s controversial remarks about Barrister Gohar sparked intense criticism within the party.
WhatsApp groups of Imran Khan’s party are reportedly buzzing with condemnation of Raja, with senior members accusing him of creating factions and sidelining key leaders.
According to party sources, the newly formed political committee has drawn sharp criticism for lacking representation from senators. Senator Fauzia Arshad has been given a position in place of Ali Zafar, prompting several members to reject the committee outright.
Senior senators insist that PTI founder Imran Khan personally appointed Barrister Gohar as chairman, and they believe Raja had no right to make public statements regarding him. They also claim that Barrister Gohar has been treated disrespectfully in front of Khan’s family, raising questions about internal party discipline.
Sources further revealed that PTI’s core committee meetings have stalled, with the last one held five months ago. The first meeting of the new political committee saw the absence of multiple key members, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Barrister Gohar, and no subsequent meetings have taken place, deepening the organizational crisis.
Party insiders allege that senior leaders are being ignored, while Barrister Gohar has instructed members to remain silent. Salman Akram Raja has also been accused of failing to amplify the founder chairman’s tweets and refusing to respond to the DG ISPR’s press conference, leaving figures such as Sohail Afridi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Shafi Jan, and Mishaal Yousafzai to issue the official responses on his behalf.
Critics within PTI claim that Raja is effectively running the party according to his personal preferences, sidelining both the founder’s directives and collective decision-making, leaving the party’s unity and future in question.
