Rift in PTI deepens as Gandapur removes key leaders from party positions

PESHAWAR: Differences in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deepened on Tuesday as Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur removed Mohammad Atif Khan and Sher Ali Arbab from their party positions, sending a strong message to those criticising his governance.

Atif Khan and Sher Ali Arbab were elected Members of the National Assembly from Mardan and Peshawar, respectively. “With the approval of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf KP President Ali Amin Khan, Mohammad Asim Khan has been appointed as the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Peshawar region, replacing Mohammad Atif Khan,” said Ali Asghar Khan, general secretary of PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mohammad Asim Khan has served as Peshawar district nazim. He is among the few active party members, having a good reputation in the eyes of the party leadership. According to party sources, Atif Khan and another PTI MNA Junaid Akbar Khan had taken a stand for the former provincial minister for communication and works Shakil Ahmad Khan when Chief Minister Gandapur removed him from the provincial cabinet allegedly on corruption charges. Gandapur removed Junaid Akbar as the focal person of the chief minister for the PTI MNAs and now took action against Atif Khan and Sher Ali Arbab.

According to the party leadership, Atif Khan was not happy with the party leadership as he wanted to contest the election for the provincial assembly and play his role in the province. However, he and some other party leaders, including Asad Qaiser and Shahram Tarakai, were denied the party tickets for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and were asked to contest for the National Assembly. Atif Khan had neither run his election campaign nor suffered imprisonment but defeated former chief minister and Awami National Party leader Ameer Haider Khan Hoti apparently due to PTI’s popularity in the province.

Ali Amin Gandapur removed MNA Sher Ali Arbab from his position as president of the Peshawar district. “With the approval of the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan, the following appointments are effective immediately. Irfan Saleem is appointed as the president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Peshawar district, replacing Arbab Sher Ali. Shahab Khan Advocate is appointed as the general secretary of PTI Peshawar district succeeding Mohammad Asim Khan, who has been promoted to regional president, Peshawar,” the PTI provincial secretary general stated.