‘Homoeopathic’ leadership to be sidelined in PTI reorganisation: Junaid

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Junaid Akbar has said the opposition party’s desire to hold dialogue with the government was misconstrued as its weakness, warning of launching agitation against the incumbent rulers.

He also hinted at a large-scale reshuffle in the party’s hierarchy, saying that “hardliners” would be appointed to key positions in the Khan-founded party, and that “homoeopathic leadership” to be sidelined after the party reorganisation, slated for May this year.

Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk” Tuesday, Akbar, who was recently elected Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman unopposed, said although they were trying to make the negotiation with the government successful, he did not see it happening.

He hinted at rising political heat in the country as the former ruling party was once again shifting to the “agitation mode”. When asked if his new position in the PTI suggests that there would be no negotiations with the government and the matters would be solved on the streets, Akbar replied, “Yes, definitely.”

He further said that they would bring changes in the provincial cabinet, adding that two new members would be inducted in Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur-led cabinet.

Shedding light on their future plans, the PTI leader said that they had multiple options, including staging protests at the district level on February 8 against alleged rigging in the last year’s general election and a demonstration at Islamabad’s D-Chowk. The PTI leader said that they would not engage with anyone when they take to the streets this time.

He said that attempts were being made to create a forward block in the former ruling party. “We also know that who is in contact with whom,” he added.

The PTI leader said: “They [the government] failed to change the loyalties of PTI’s supporters.” He further said that those who quit the party, had joined the PTI on the directives of “someone else”. To another query, he said that the PTI founder would be released during the current year.