Secretary General Salman Akram Raja tendered his resignation from the post after bickering with Bushra Bibi; more resignations likely

Khayam Abbasi

Rawalpindi: Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on Thursday removed Barrister Gohar Ali Khan from the position of party chairman, according to reports circulating on local media. The reshuffle comes as part of a leadership overhaul within the party following internal criticism and growing dissent.

Nevertheless, Senator Ali Zafar has denied that the PTI founder has removed anybody from party offices. Meanwhile Secretary General Salman Akram Raja tendered his resignation from the post after bickering with Bushra Bibi. He told Bushra that he was not answerable to her. The PTI executive committee however has rejected Salman Akram resignation.

Speaking after a meeting with the former prime minister on Thursday, Barrister Ali Zafar confirmed that Khan had nominated former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser as the new PTI chairman. He added that Khan’s decision was driven by a desire to allow seasoned leaders to take charge of the party’s future direction.

The shake-up also saw the resignation of PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, who stepped down amid increasing criticism of the party’s handling of the recent protest in Islamabad. Barrister Zafar clarified that Raja’s resignation was not voluntary but a result of Khan’s decision to remove him from office.

In a further shake-up, Khan appointed Ali Muhammad Khan as the new PTI Secretary General, filling the void left by Raja’s departure. Sources indicated that the PTI leadership turmoil could result in additional resignations as the party grapples with mounting pressure in the wake of its failed protest in Islamabad. 

PTI leaders, including Khan himself, have come under fire after the protest at D-Chowk ended without the release of the party founder, who remains incarcerated.

The reshuffle and leadership changes come amid growing unrest within PTI. Since the authorities launched a sweeping operation to detain party protesters, hundreds of PTI workers have been arrested, leading to heightened criticism of the party’s current direction.

Barrister Gohar, who was elected unopposed as PTI chairman in December 2023 following Imran Khan’s disqualification in the Toshakhana case, has now been replaced after a brief tenure. The decision reflects Khan’s ongoing efforts to regain control of the party in light of mounting challenges.

PTI’s internal struggles mirror its external battles, as the party continues to face a difficult political landscape.

Despite the crackdown, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced that the PTI would continue its sit-ins across Pakistan, vowing to push for the release of Imran Khan and uphold the party’s stance on democracy and rule of law.

A meeting of PTI’s political committee in Islamabad also discussed potential legal steps in response to alleged fatalities during the protest and considered the broader political implications of the party’s current crisis.