Reports of an internal review have brought the party’s protest planning under scrutiny, while senior figures call for consultation and defend Sohail Afridi.
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is facing questions over the organisation of its long march, with The Express Tribune reporting that the party’s core and political committees formed a fact-finding panel on Sunday, 18 October.
The reported review follows criticism of the march’s preparations and the party’s political strategy after governor’s rule was imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Planning and coordination questioned
Citing sources familiar with the discussions, The Express Tribune reported that participants raised concerns about preparations, coordination and consultation with party leaders and provincial lawmakers.
Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja reportedly highlighted low participation in Charsadda and Mardan, along with inadequate arrangements for overnight stays. Several participants were said to have criticised suspended chief minister Sohail Afridi’s handling of the mobilisation.
These accounts describe concerns reportedly raised during internal discussions, rather than findings published by the fact-finding panel.
Raja defends Afridi
Raja subsequently defended Afridi, describing him as committed to Imran Khan’s political ideology. He said the march’s administrative arrangements needed critical examination, while warning against presenting committee discussions out of context.
His response draws a distinction between reviewing the organisation of the protest and blaming individual leaders for its outcome.
Provincial lawmakers seek greater consultation
ARY News separately reported that some core committee members had questioned the march strategy during a meeting on Saturday.
The broadcaster also reported a statement from PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party expressing reservations about a political committee formed by Raja. The provincial lawmakers said decisions should reflect conditions on the ground and the views of party members in the province.
They called for the reactivation of the core committee established by Khan and put forward proposals concerning responsibility for matters relating to Adiala Jail.
Those proposals included a leading role for Barrister Gohar and consideration of Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif as a party representative on jail-related matters, according to ARY News.
Review follows loss of provincial administration
The debate comes after the federal intervention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 11 October suspended the PTI-led provincial government.
Federal authorities cited worsening militant violence as the reason for the intervention. PTI rejected that justification and accused the government of a political takeover.
Against that backdrop, the reported internal review concerns both the practical arrangements for the march and the party’s response to the suspension of its provincial administration.
