PTI’s Anti-Govt Movement Sparks Internal Discord as Gandapur, Aliya Hamza Clash Over Strategy
Punjab minister Azma Bukhari slams KP CM for ‘drama’ and ignoring national tragedies
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s newly launched anti-government campaign has not only intensified political tensions nationwide but also laid bare the growing rifts within the party’s senior leadership, as key figures question the strategy, timeline, and coherence of the movement.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has vowed to lead a “do or die” protest movement within the next 90 days, aimed at pressuring for the release of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, who marks two years in prison on August 5.
“We must decide within 90 days whether we want to continue politics or surrender,” Gandapur declared at a press conference in Lahore, flanked by senior party leaders Salman Akram Raja and others. “We are ready to mobilise the people, with or without our positions in government.”
However, Gandapur’s assertive tone and self-declared timeline triggered sharp criticism from PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza, who questioned the clarity and coordination behind the protest plan.
“Where did this 90-day strategy come from, especially when we were previously mobilising for August 5?” she asked. “Has anyone officially shared a roadmap? Where and how is this protest supposed to begin?”
Aliya Hamza’s remarks underscore the apparent lack of intra-party consensus over the direction of the protest movement, exposing a fractured leadership structure in Khan’s absence and creating confusion at the grassroots level.
The rift comes at a critical time for PTI, as the party ramps up efforts to regain public momentum amid growing political isolation following the Supreme Court’s verdict barring it from reserved seats.
Azma Bukhari Responds
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari took aim at Gandapur’s visit to Lahore, warning him against using the city as a launchpad for disruption.
“Ali Amin Gandapur was welcomed peacefully in Lahore, but if he dares bring armed elements or attempts to spread unrest, we will respond with full force of the law,” she said in a statement on Kashmir Martyrs Day.
She challenged Gandapur to bring his cabinet and KP lawmakers to Punjab, claiming the province would show him how governance is done. “Let him witness how we clean up Peshawar’s garbage, build hospitals like Nawaz Sharif Hospital within a year, and empower our youth with laptops not hollow slogans.”
Azma Bukhari also criticised Gandapur for remaining silent on recent tragedies, including the deaths of 10 people in Swat, and contrasted his inaction with his past theatrics over the Sahiwal tragedy. “He’s quick to chant slogans, but disappears when it’s time to console victims’ families,” she said.
Deepfake Condemnation
The Punjab minister further condemned the deepfake campaign targeting the Chief of Army Staff, labelling such efforts as traitorous. “These acts are not politics they are the work of enemies of the state,” she declared.
She also criticised PTI’s track record of “violence and chaos”, saying that whether it’s the martyrdom of Punjabis in Balochistan or the tragedies in KP, the party leadership has failed to show empathy or accountability.
What Lies Ahead
While PTI has vowed to intensify its protest campaign leading to August 5, the visible disarray within its leadership threatens to derail its momentum. With Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan asserting that the PTI founder will lead the movement from jail, the party is attempting to rally its base but cracks in discipline, messaging, and leadership structure are already raising alarms.
Observers note that unless the party overcomes its internal differences and aligns its messaging, the protest movement may struggle to reach its stated objectives, especially as federal and provincial governments prepare to counter any attempts to destabilise public order.
