As whispers grow louder over the possible political sidelining of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has pushed back forcefully, denouncing what it claims is a renewed conspiracy to implement a “minus-one” formula.
Tensions within the party and across the national political landscape continue to escalate. On Wednesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram both rejected reports suggesting a campaign is underway to remove Imran from the political equation.
Gandapur warned of a broader plan to impose governor’s rule in the province and accused certain elements of trying to exploit Imran Khan’s imprisonment for political gain. Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court, the K-P chief minister claimed there was a deliberate attempt to bypass the party’s founder during the provincial budget process — a move he described as part of a “covert plot” to take over the PTI-led government.
“If the founder wants this government to end, I can dissolve it in a minute. This government belongs to him,” Gandapur said. “Imran Khan is PTI — there is no position above his.”
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Azma Bukhari reignited internal party tensions by claiming that Imran Khan was being sidelined not just politically, but from within his own camp — even by his sister, Aleema Khan. In a sharp statement, she said, “The man who once tried to push Nawaz Sharif out of politics has now been cast aside by his own family and party.”
Bukhari accused Aleema Khan and elements within PTI’s digital wing of running coordinated attacks against Gandapur, adding that the party is now splintered into multiple factions, both at the federal level and within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She named three groups in the province — one led by Junaid Akbar, another by Atif Khan, and a third made up of dissenting members. “For 12 years, K-P has been at the mercy of corrupt and incompetent politicians,” she claimed, contrasting it with Punjab, which she praised for good governance.
PTI, however, dismissed these claims as part of a broader effort by the ruling coalition to fracture the party and diminish Imran Khan’s political stature.
In a strongly worded rebuttal, party spokesperson Waqas Akram said the government was “obsessed” with removing Imran from the national stage. “In their desperation to ‘minus’ him, they’ve disgraced themselves and the entire system,” he said.
He accused the ruling alliance of trying to manipulate PTI’s internal affairs by creating divisions. “The puppets of this regime think they can weaken our foundations, but they’ve failed time and again,” he added.
Akram went on to say that Imran’s popularity has only grown despite his incarceration. “They thought jailing him would break the party — it’s done the opposite. He’s become a symbol of resistance,” he said.
Gandapur echoed that sentiment, insisting that any version of PTI without Imran Khan is unimaginable. He also dismissed the idea that his quick approval of the provincial budget without consulting the founder showed a break in loyalty. “We passed the budget. If Imran Khan wants any amendments, we’ll implement them — it’s his government,” he said.
Gandapur also claimed a financial emergency was being quietly planned in Islamabad to undercut PTI’s hold over the province — an accusation that has yet to be substantiated but one that reflects the increasingly charged rhetoric on both sides.
The party’s central leadership remains adamant: Imran Khan is not just the face of PTI — he’s the heart of it. “He’s not just our leader; he’s the people’s hope,” said Akram.
The political storm is far from over. But one message from PTI is loud and clear — for them, any formula that excludes Imran Khan is not just unacceptable, it’s impossible.
