PTI rift threatens to unravel govt-op bonhomie

Express Tribune

20-07-2025

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The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) found itself in the throes of a growing internal rift on Saturday as rebel Senate candidates rejected the party's 'diktat' to withdraw their nomination papers, vowing instead to contest the July 21 polls in open defiance of an opposition-backed consensus deal.
The development came as the government and opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the party's rebels.
PTI's political committee, meeting late Saturday night, endorsed a power-sharing agreement with the opposition and reaffirmed the list of official candidates issued by party founder Imran Khan.
However, the move has triggered a backlash from sidelined aspirants, who accuse the leadership of capitulating to what they term an "establishment-sponsored deal".
Despite the directive to withdraw, five rebel candidates, including Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zishan, Waqas Orakzai, former IG Irshad Hussain and Aisha Bano, stood their ground following internal consultations.
In public statements and video messages, they declared they would not bow to what they alleged to be "political expediency" and "closed-door compromises".
"This has gone far beyond the Senate elections," Khurram Zishan said in a defiant message. "We're being asked to hand over our trust to the very people who jailed our workers, tortured our elders, and stole our mandate via Form 47. We reject political wheeling and dealing. We are not playing politics ... we are waging resistance."
Party pushes back, rebels dig in
The party's political committee, while backing PTI Imran Khan's handpicked list, acknowledged internal objections, including to candidates like Mishal Yousafzai and Irfan Saleem, but said the founder's decisions were final.
The committee warned dissidents that they could face disciplinary notices if they did not comply.
PTI leadership has given the rebel candidates a deadline of 12 noon today to withdraw. However, the dissenters, emboldened by what they claim are 20 MPAs in contact with them, appear undeterred.
Irfan Saleem accused PTI's leadership of forming an "unholy alliance" to install establishment-backed candidates.
"We will not allow this taint on a legislature built on Imran Khan's name," he said. "Our resistance is not personal, it is ideological."
Aisha Bano said the Senate seats were "a trust given to us by the party's workers and Khan himself," and would not be handed to those who "stole our mandate".
"This is not just another election ... it's the front line of a movement," she said.
Govt, opposition join forces to shut out rebels
Meanwhile, sources confirmed that the government and opposition in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have struck a rare unity pact to ensure the victory of 11 agreed-upon Senate candidates in a move to sideline the PTI rebels.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and opposition leader Dr Ibadullah will jointly oversee the formation and coordination of seven special voting panels.
Four of these will be supervised by provincial ministers, with the remaining three managed by opposition parliamentary leaders.
Under the plan, government MPAs will be gathered at the CM House and dispatched in groups to cast votes under ministerial supervision. Opposition MPs will follow a similar strategy.
Each panel will be instructed to vote for specific general, women, and technocrat candidates. The cooperation includes an accountability mechanism, with both sides agreeing to investigate if votes slip toward rebel candidates.
A backup Plan B, involving delaying the election or swearing in new MPAs, was discussed but ultimately set aside due to a lack of consensus.
Senior PTI leaders are expected to be present in the assembly during the vote, as are key opposition figures. Sources within the opposition expressed confidence in the arrangement.
"We are satisfied with the government's commitment. All eleven candidates should win smoothly if the agreement holds," they said.