The PTI’s exhausting internal crisis

ISLAMABAD:

Ali Amin Gandapur was once the face of PTI resistance. Selected by imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan as chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he was seen as a hardliner, capable of maintaining the party’s confrontational posture while its leader remained behind bars.

He twice led protesters to the capital, demanding the release of Imran Khan.

However, in the last week, that image has fractured. Gandapur found himself facing criticism from within his own ranks after giving interviews questioning the party’s strategy. Once celebrated for his defiance, he now faces hostility from sections of the support base that once hailed him.

Analysts say the shift from hero to villain reflects deeper internal divisions within the PTI and a growing lack of clarity over its strategic direction at a time when its central leadership remains under pressure.

Gandapur claimed that when he was chief minister, he had urged party leaders and even Imran Khan’s sisters not to adopt a hostile approach, but rather focus on freeing the PTI chief. He further said that Imran was misled in jail by some party leaders regarding the extent of street support.

His remarks sparked a sharp backlash from hardliners, who called him a “coward.”

Yet insiders suggest that Gandapur’s position is not isolated. Some within the party believe a recalibration of strategy is necessary rather than a continued confrontation with the powers that be.
It is partly for this reason that Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas were appointed opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, in the hope that their involvement could help open channels of communication with other stakeholders.

However, hardliners remain unhappy with the decision to strengthen the opposition alliance, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan. Longtime party activists feel marginalized, believing that years of loyalty have not translated into influence within the evolving power structure.

Analysts highlight a growing communication deficit within the party. With the leader cut off from direct contact, confusion seeped into the upper echelons. Critics also questioned Barr Gohar’s leadership, wondering if he was appointed merely to counter statements issued by other party figures.

Senior political analyst Hassan Askari calls the situation one of “leadership dependence and infighting.” “Many political parties rely heavily on their leaders, and with central figures like Imran Khan and a few others arrested or sidelined, the remaining second- or third-tier leaders struggle to maintain energy, direction, and internal coherence. Without a clearly established hierarchy or autonomous leadership, the party cannot pursue its planned agenda and lacks both a clear sense of direction and organizational focus, making strategic coordination and unified action increasingly difficult,” a Askari told the Express PK Press Club on Sunday.

According to Zaigham Khan, the responsibility lies in the structural evolution of the PTI. He argues that the party continues to function more as a movement than a fully institutionalized political party, having never completed the post-power transition that established parties such as the Pakistan People’s Party have experienced.

“Its decision-making and mobilization has long revolved around Imran Khan as the central authority, and his absence has exposed structural weaknesses such as a lack of hierarchy, weak institutional mechanisms and competition for leadership, producing the strategic confusion now visible within the party,” Zaigham said.

Beyond internal organizational divisions, the government sees Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanam, as a significant factor in the current tensions. The most recent episode concerns Imran Khan’s health, with Aleema insisting that the party continue its sit-in until it has access to its own doctors.

The party decided otherwise. In a recent interview, she claimed that she was not interfering in party affairs but was focusing on her brother’s health, suggesting that PTI leaders, unwilling to fight for him, should step aside.

Zaigham Khan describes Aleema Khanam as the most credible source of communications within the party and one of its strongest internal power centers.