• Waqas Akram insists difference of opinion part of political process
• Rejects social media campaign against party
• Insiders complain about lack of unified strategy amid ‘multiple centres of influence’

ISLAMABAD: Amid reports of internal rifts, leadership crisis and serious differences within the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) over its policies, the party has stressed that its leadership, workers and parliamentary representatives remain united behind the party’s founding chairman Imran Khan.

PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Dawn that differences of opinion should not be interpreted as a split calling these part of political process. “Anyone can have their own opinion, but when it comes to Imran Khan, all are united,” he asserted.

His remarks came amid claims by officials and even some PTI insiders that the party has been struggling to evolve a unified political strategy nearly three years after Mr Khan was put behind bars, with differences over protest politics, parliamentary engagement, decision-making and the role of different centres of influence within the party.

For instance, a senior PTI leader, requesting anonymity, claimed that several “groups” had emerged within the party, including the current central leadership, Mr Khan’s family, the parliamentary party, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and party-linked social media activists, most of whom are outside the country.

“None of them is interested in talking to each other and taking collective decisions,” he told Dawn.

He claimed that the party’s political committee had been abolished and replaced with a new committee. “Whenever the party wants to make a decision, it is discussed in the committee, and whenever it wants to delay matters, they are referred to Imran Khan,” he said.

PTI’s parliamentary role

Another PTI leader, who is also a parliamentarian, questioned some of the party’s decisions.

“We are sitting in the National Assembly and Senate, but we are not part of parliamentary committees. In reality, all legislative work is done in committees. How can we block anything in the House?” he asked.

“If we are allowed to sit in committees, we can amend legislation or make it acceptable. Otherwise, I don’t think we should even remain in the assemblies. We are doing nothing apart from drawing salaries,” he added.

The parliamentarian said PTI had limited political space but could still create room through a more organised strategy. “We don’t have space, but we can create it if criticism through social media stops. Moreover, space can be created through agitation, but we have failed in it,” he said.

He said the party had also tried to use the influence of Mr Khan’s family, including his sisters and sons, but that option had not produced the desired results.

Asked about a possible way forward, he said the party needed experienced political leadership in its decision-making process. “The most suitable person after Imran Khan is Shah Mahmood Qureshi, but he is in jail. However, there are many others, such as Asad Qaiser, who can be involved in decision-making,” he said.

He added that younger leaders, including Usama Mela and Ali Asghar Khan, could also be brought into the mainstream.

Another PTI leader said the party needed a clear short-term, medium-term, and long-term policy. “One and a half years have passed since November 2024, but after that, we have not done anything,” he said.

He said PTI leaders had been saying that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas would lead the opposition movement, but the party itself had not fully cooperated with them. “The party needs to understand that ‘the powers that be’ contacted us twice only when Ali Amin Gandapur reached Islamabad along with thousands of protesters. Even the doors of Adiala jail were opened at night at that time,” he claimed.

In Nov 2024, PTI faced a major crackdown in Islamabad and has not announced another march towards D-Chowk since then.

‘Imran is ideology’

However, rejecting the impression of serious divisions, Sheikh Waqas Akram claimed that a campaign was being run on social media to suggest that the PTI was divided, but it was impossible to break the party and disassociate people from Mr Khan.

He said that during the tenure of Ali Amin Gandapur, ma­­­­ny leaders had reservations about him and some even held pressers, but they still joined long marches and protests because they stood with Mr Khan.

He said Mr Khan was the name of a vision and ideology. “The whole party will follow the orders of the founding chairman, so it should not be assumed that the party is divided,” he said.

“Anyone who ever tries to cheat Imran Khan, the nation will never forgive him. Efforts are being made to break the party, but no such efforts will succeed,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2026