Waiting for 'right time' to break silence on party’s internal affairs: Shehryar Afridi

PESHAWAR: Agitated over internal rifts within the party, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) MNA Shehryar Afridi Sunday said he was waiting for the right time to break his silence.

“I am keeping my silence because of respect for the PTI founder and sake of party’s unity. There are such (malicious) things going on within the party that it will be better if I stay silent on them,” the PTI leader said addressing PTI supporters in Peshawar.

Requesting all to adopt the party’s code of conduct, he said he could not articulate the pain he was going through. However, he said, there were some things over which keeping mum would be "criminal".

Afridi, who was denied a meeting with the party founder on May 24, said he was waiting to meet Imran Khan.

“Enough is enough, if we are sincere, we have to ensure the release of the PTI founder,” he said.

Since Khan’s incarceration after the violent incidents of May 9, multiple rifts have surfaced within the PTI.

Once it was between the political and legal leadership of the party and later Sher Afzal Marwat became the centre of discord.

Referring to the “internal strife” in the PTI, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on March 25 claimed that there was a sheer power struggle within the ranks of Imran Khan-founded party that might lead to its disintegration or creation of a forward block.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar had said that top PTI leaders like Gohar Ali Khan and Sher Afzal Khan were taking contradictory stances on different issues. He had regretted the “childish attitude” put up by the PTI which is a national party.

He had advised the PTI leaders to shun their internal politics and play their due role in strengthening the economy.