PTI faces the internal flaw during the August 5 protest plans

Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) is struggling with internal divisions on the calendar and the strategy for a national demonstration aimed at ensuring the release of its imprisoned founder, the former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Discord, mainly between the central leadership of the party and its chapter of Punjab, increased tensions as an approach proposed on the date of protest of August 5, marking two years since the imprisonment of Khan.

Central management – including the president of the lawyer Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber -Pakhtunkhwa, the chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur – pleaded for a 90 -day campaign culminating in a decisive demonstration, stressing a strategic accumulation to maximize the impact.

Gandapur, speaking during a Lahore press conference on July 13, described the movement as a “do-gold” effort to challenge what PTI calls a “fascist regime” and to guarantee the release of Khan.

Learn more: Aleema Khan welcomes the unity of PTI parliamentarians at the Lahore meeting

He stressed that the campaign would involve mobilizing supporters in all districts and Tehsil, with a peak by August 5, after which a new phase would be announced.

On the other hand, the chief organizer of PTI Punjab, Aliya Hamza Malik, firmly supported an immediate demonstration on August 5, aligning with a call attributed to Imran Khan via his sister, Aleema Khan.

Malik would have threatened to resign if the party departs from this date, highlighting a lack of coordination with the central management.

Sources indicate that Malik has already ordered the organization of the Punjab party to prepare for the demonstration of August 5, mobilizing workers in districts such as Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Pakpattan, Faisalabad and Chiniot.

The rift has become public when Malik, excluded from a key strategy meeting in Lahore, expressed his frustration on X.

In a series of messages, she questioned the origins of the 90 -day plan and asked for the clarity of the objectives of the movement, declaring: “The objective and the target is only the release of Imran Khan.”

His absence of the meeting – which included Gandapur, the secretary general of the PTI Salman Akram Raja and the opposition head of the Punjab assembly, Malik Ahmad Bhachar – were rejected by Raja because of “other commitments”, an assertion Malik refuted sarcastically, noting that she was not aware of his supposed pretender.

However, Aleema Khan, addressing the media, welcomed the rally of Lahore as a sign of unity among the parliamentarians of the PTI but expressed his ignorance with regard to the exclusion of Malik, declaring: “We were told that it was a meeting of parliamentarians.”

She reaffirmed Imran Khan’s call to demonstrations to culminate on August 5, noting that her whole family, including her UK based sons, would participate.

Barrister Gohar tried to repress discord, urging managers to respond to concerns through internal parties rather than public forums. “If a leader has a complaint, he should inform me directly,” he said, promising to degenerate problems with Imran Khan.

However, the public spitting raised concerns about PTI’s cohesion at a critical moment, some analysts suggesting that it reflects deeper problems of centralization and confidence within the party.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government, led by chief minister Maryam Nawaz, reported a firm position against potential disorders.

Provincial Minister of Information, Azma Bukhari, recognized the right to peaceful protest, but accused of history of violence, referring to the incidents of May 9, 2023. “No political party is authorized to attack with weapons,” said Bukhari, warning that disturbing tactics would meet with strict action.

While the PTI tackles these internal challenges, the party also faces external pressures, including government repression after past demonstrations.

The demonstration of November 2024 “Call” in Islamabad – led by the wife of Khan, Bushra Bibi, and Gandapur – left at least six deaths, including four members of security personnel, and nearly 1,000 arrests, according to independent reports.

Amnesty International called for a transparent survey on the use of deadly force during these clashes, highlighting a model of intolerance in the Pacific Assembly in Pakistan.

With the deadline of August 5, PTI’s ability to unify its leadership and mobilize supporters will be essential to the success of its campaign.

The current rift risks compromising the momentum of the party, potentially weakening its position against a government already fortified by security measures and legal actions against PTI members.