Infighting shakes Khan’s PTI as party leaders trade corruption accusations

Deepening rifts within the upper ranks of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have raised concerns following Eid al-Fitr, with sources warning that the internal conflict could destabilize the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and hinder efforts to secure the release of the jailed former prime minister.

The tensions came to light after a public fallout between former Senator Azam Swati and KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati.

After meeting Khan at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail, Azam Swati accused Babar Saleem Swati of corruption and said Khan had ordered his removal along with a reversal of all appointments made by PTI's provincial president, Junaid Akbar, in the Hazara division.

Babar Saleem Swati fired back, calling the accusations "baseless and fabricated" and branded Azam Swati a “born liar.”

“I saw no need to respond to a media stunt driven by personal frustration,” he said, adding that all charges had been addressed by the party’s accountability committee.

Meanwhile, tensions flared between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former provincial minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, after the latter submitted a six-page response to PTI’s Internal Accountability Committee, denying allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and abuse of power during the party's previous tenure in the province.

Jhagra claimed the inquiry was malicious and politically motivated. He questioned why no probe was launched into Gandapur’s alleged spending of PKR 750 million on party activities, despite declared assets of only PKR 100 million.

Reports indicate that Imran Khan had made Taimur Saleem Jhagra's return to the cabinet contingent on clearing the accountability process. The committee had previously sent Jhagra a 24-question questionnaire regarding the alleged misconduct.

Gandapur, in turn, accused central PTI leaders Atif Khan, Shahram Tarakai, and Asad Qaiser of conspiring against him. “Imran Khan had refused to give them provincial tickets for general elections because he suspected they would plot against the CM,” Gandapur said.

Irfan Saleem, PTI’s Provincial Additional General Secretary, also called for the resignation of Barrister Saif, CM’s Special Advisor on Information.

“Barrister Saif has no link with PTI or Khan’s ideology and often contradicts party policy,” Irfan Saleem told Nukta.

Senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai admitted the internal rifts are damaging. “To resolve the issues, the first step is to clear the misunderstandings between Gandapur and Junaid Akbar. I have already reached out to both of them, and hope to meet together soon to resolve the matter,” Yousafzai said.

Atif Khan and Junaid Akbar have so far remained silent on Gandapur’s claims.

Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI’s Central Secretary Information, downplayed the feud. “Minor differences are common in any democratic party. The party is closely monitoring all matters, and if any issue seems serious, the central leadership will step in,” Akram said.

‘Haves and have-nots’

According to senior journalist Ali Akbar, the party is experiencing a rift between the “haves and have-nots,” as members vie for influence in the provincial government.

“In such a situation, Imran Khan’s strategy has always been ‘divide and rule,’ which is why he grants positions to one person at one time and to another at another,” Akbar noted.

Lahaz Ali, another senior journalist, said a cabinet reshuffle is likely. “Gandapur wants a ‘handcuffed’ cabinet, so he’s started maligning his rivals to keep them out,” Ali said.

He added that Gandapur currently holds the upper hand because of regular and smooth meetings with Imran Khan in prison.

However, Ali warned that the ongoing power struggle could backfire.

“This disagreement poses a threat to Gandapur, as all his opponents could unite, presenting a well-organized campaign and complaints against him to Khan, which could jeopardize the chief minister’s position,” he added.

Responding to Gandapur’s allegations, Asad Qaiser called on the PTI’s central leadership to probe the chief minister’s remarks and clarify Imran Khan’s stance publicly.

"While we reserve the right to respond, it is more prudent to avoid confrontation in the current situation for Khan’s sake", he added.