By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur accused Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, of fomenting divisions within the party and alleged she was being aided by Military Intelligence (MI) and the “establishment,” in a video statement on Tuesday that highlighted growing internal strife.
Gandapur, who met with Khan in jail the previous day, emphasised his loyalty while detailing concerns he raised during the discussion. “Imran Khan is my leader, I am loyal to him. It is my right to convey the truth to him … I made him aware of all that has been happening [during my meeting with him yesterday],” he said.
The chief minister’s claims show growing tensions in PTI, the country’s main opposition party, which has endured crackdowns since Khan’s removal as prime minister in 2022 and his imprisonment on corruption charges he contests.
As head of PTI’s sole provincial government, Gandapur depicted the discord as arising from limited access to Khan and messages funnelled through his sisters. He noted that early denials of jail visits meant communications reached the public via Khan’s sisters. “So there is a big divide in the party now,” Gandapur said.
Defending his administration’s presentation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget, Gandapur argued it was essential to prevent disqualification, with no contrary directives from Khan. “But after that, campaigns that were launched declaring me and parliament traitors were highly inappropriate. And we repeatedly asked [Khan’s] sisters to bring some clarity on it, but to no avail. So an impression was created that we were going against you (Khan). But it was not the case,” he said.
Similar hurdles persisted when passing the budget, Gandapur recounted, until PTI leader Mirza Saif secured a meeting with Imran despite obstacles. “We eventually passed the budget after making it clear to Khan sahib that he could make any changes he wanted.” Gandapur said he assured Khan of his power to block the budget if wished. “But my MPAs and party members were accused that we committed treachery passing this budget … They are running these campaigns.” He dismissed charges of implementing a “minus Imran Khan” strategy to marginalise the founder. “But I [told Khan] that nobody could think or have the courage to do so.”
Gandapur pinpointed Aleema Khan as a key figure in the splits, telling Khan she was discrediting members and eroding morale. “Aleema Khan had a big role in dividing the party. Because some party members are being discredited. And the party is losing hope. Those steps were not being taken for your release. Instead, there is groupism in the party, which some people are using to serve their own interests.”
He alleged Aleema’s ties to ‘vlogger’ fueling rifts. “And instead of stopping them … she is provoking them. And Hafeezullah Niazi sahib refers to Aleema Khan as the prime minister in his articles. He writes that she should become the party chairperson,” Gandapur said.
Campaigns to install Aleema Khan as chairperson were harming PTI, Gandapur warned jailed Khan. “If you (Imran Khan) want to elect a chairperson then go ahead … whoever you nominate will be acceptable, but do it,” he said of their exchange. Gandapur decried minor disputes distracting from Khan’s release efforts, alleging the party’s path aligned with institutional aims. “I clearly told him that institutions are working to weaken us … I told him that the MI was facilitating Aleema Khan in this process, according to my knowledge … It is supporting Aleema Khan in weakening us.”
The statement followed Aleema Khan’s media comments outside Adiala Jail, where Khan is held. Asked about Gandapur’s meeting, she said he accused her of MI collaboration, masterminding social media attacks against him and aspiring to the chairperson role.
Khan relayed the details to the family, Aleema Khan said. “He was laughing while telling us,” she said. “Remember that Imran Khan is PTI’s chairman. Only he is the chairman and no one else. We will do everything for Imran Khan, we will tolerate everything for him. But we will not leave him [alone] no matter what they do.”
Aleema Khan clarified that Imran Khan uses family for messages when party members are absent. “He also specifies what has to be told publicly and what privately,” she said. The spat exposes deepening fissures in PTI amid legal fights, demonstrations and power struggles over Imran Khan’s fate.
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