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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PTI rift threatens to unravel govt-op bonhomie
Listen to article 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.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt, opposition unite to block dissident PTI candidates in Senate elections
Listen to article In a rare show of unity, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government and opposition parties — including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — have joined forces to prevent dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates from securing seats in the Senate elections scheduled for July 21. The development comes as several PTI nominees refused to withdraw their candidacies, defying instructions from party leadership and deepening internal divisions. According to Express News, the PTI political committee recently reaffirmed its agreement with opposition parties regarding Senate seat allocations and instructed its nominees to retract their nomination papers. However, many aspirants rejected this decision, refusing to step down. Read More: PTI workers cry foul over Senate tickets A late-night political committee meeting saw members defending the shortlist released by party founder Imran Khan. While acknowledging Irfan Saleem's long service to PTI, the committee stood firm on Khan's final candidate list. Although some objections were raised over Mishael Yousafzai's candidacy, she was approved out of respect for the founder's selections. Despite endorsing the compromise with the opposition, the committee failed to persuade dissenting candidates to withdraw and is now considering issuing notices to non-compliant nominees. In response, discontented candidates—including Irfan Saleem, Syed Irshad Hussain, Khurram Zeeshan, Aisha Bano, and Waqas Orakzai—held their own meeting. They unanimously rejected the committee's instructions and vowed to contest the Senate elections. لا الہ الاللہ بات سینیٹ الیکشن سے بہت آگے نکل چکی ہے۔ جس فارم 47 کی ناجائز ٹٹوؤں سے خان صاحب بات تک نہیں کرنا چاہتے ان کے ساتھ گٹھ جوڑ نامنظور! اب سامنے وہ درواہا ہے جہاں ہمیں لازمی مزاحمت یا مفاہمت یعنی سیاسی مصلحتوں، گٹھ جوڑ، بند کمروں کی بندر بانٹ میں سے کسی ایک کا انتخاب… — Khurram Zeeshan (@khurramzeeshan) July 19, 2025 Khurram Zeeshan released a video message stating the issue had surpassed a mere Senate contest. He criticized alliances with 'illegitimate' individuals named on Form 47, accusing the party leadership of betraying Imran Khan's principles. 'We stand at a crossroads: resistance or compromise through political horse-trading,' he said, pledging steadfast opposition and declaring, 'We do not do politics; we do jihad.' Irfan Saleem voiced concerns over alleged collusion with establishment-backed figures during the K-P Senate polls, asserting that PTI members derive legitimacy from Imran Khan's mandate and pledging to expose any attempts to compromise party ideology. Aisha Bano called the Senate seat the party's honour and questioned entrusting it to individuals accused of wronging Imran Khan and PTI workers. 'This is not just an election; it is the front of our movement,' she said. Saleem added that he would consult party workers and colleagues before deciding on contesting the Senate election papers. The dissidents' defiance highlights a widening rift within PTI ahead of the upper house elections. Also Read: Court orders arrest of K-P CM Gandapur in arms, liquor case Following these developments, both the opposition and government benches in the K-P Assembly have devised a joint strategy to ensure the success of their 11 agreed candidates. Sources revealed that special panels are being formed to manage the voting process, with provincial ministers tasked to oversee four government-aligned panels. Lawmakers from the ruling party will be gathered at the Chief Minister's House and sent to the assembly in groups under ministerial supervision to cast their votes. ہم اسٹیبلشمنٹ کے اس گندے کھیل کا حصہ نہیں بنیں گے ہم عمرانی نظریہ کے تحفظ کی خاطر آخری بال تک لڑیں گے۔ — Irfan Saleem (@_IrfanSaleemPTI) July 19, 2025 On the opposition side, three panels will be supervised by parliamentary leaders of their respective parties. Members of the seven total panels will be instructed to vote separately for general, women, and technocrat candidates to avoid confusion or crossover. The entire process will be monitored jointly by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah. Opposition candidates will also receive support from government ranks, with votes coordinated through mutual understanding. In the event of any deviation, such as votes cast in favour of rebel PTI candidates, both sides have agreed to launch a thorough joint investigation to hold responsible lawmakers accountable. Read: PA speaker tosses disqualification bid of 26 MPAs into judicial arena Party insiders confirmed senior PTI leaders will be present in the assembly on polling day to oversee proceedings, with key opposition figures also expected to attend. Opposition sources expressed satisfaction with the government's commitment and arrangements. 'We are hopeful that no issues will arise and all 11 candidates will be elected smoothly,' one source said. It was further decided that any complaints or irregularities during the polling process would be immediately reported to the chief minister and opposition leader to ensure timely action.
