Web Desk: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has intervened to stop the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister from setting up a controversial “Imran Khan Release Force,” party sources said, underscoring growing strategic divisions within the opposition party.
The intervention came after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi announced plans to constitute a dedicated force aimed at securing the release of jailed party founder Imran Khan.
Party insiders told local media that Gohar acted both directly and through senior party figures to dissuade the chief minister from proceeding with the initiative.
According to sources, Gohar issued a clear warning that forming any group labeled as a “force” particularly one requiring members to take an oath for a political objective could be deemed unconstitutional and illegal. Moreover, he cautioned that such a move might even fall within the ambit of militancy under Pakistani law.
As a result of internal objections, the provincial government postponed a planned oath-taking ceremony that had reportedly been scheduled for Feb. 22. However, reports suggest that the chief minister may revisit the plan after the holy month of Ramadan.
Senior PTI leaders privately acknowledged that the proposal triggered concern within the central leadership. They fear that creating a شبه-organizational “force” could expose the party to legal action and accusations of promoting confrontation.
Meanwhile, Gohar reached out to opposition figures, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, in an effort to build broader political consensus against the proposed move within both PTI and the wider opposition alliance.
The issue also featured prominently in a recent meeting of the party’s political committee. Participants were instructed not to comment publicly on the matter, signaling the leadership’s attempt to contain what could become a damaging internal dispute.
Instead of forming a “force,” Gohar reportedly advised establishing legal and political committees at the provincial, regional and district levels to mobilize support for Khan’s release. Such structures, he argued, would mirror traditional political movements and avoid constitutional complications.
The episode reflects widening differences within PTI over how to navigate an increasingly complex political landscape. While some leaders favor an aggressive mobilization strategy, others advocate a cautious and legally defensible approach.
Adding another layer to the controversy, some party figures allege that the idea of the “Release Force” originated with Murad Saeed, a senior PTI leader currently in hiding. Saeed is also widely regarded as having backed Afridi’s candidacy for the province’s top executive position. Sources say Khan did not personally know Afridi prior to his elevation as chief minister.
The unfolding debate illustrates the delicate balancing act facing PTI’s leadership as it seeks to rally support for its jailed founder without inviting further legal and political challenges.
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