Agencies
PTI leader and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur has hit back at party Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, saying KP lawmakers need no “loyalty certificates” from anyone and demanding that he substantiate his allegations.
In a strongly worded statement, Gandapur termed Raja’s recent remarks “regrettable, irresponsible and damaging” to PTI’s internal unity, particularly at a time when the party was facing extraordinary political difficulties.
“This party belongs to Imran Khan. We do not need loyalty certificates from anyone, nor does anyone have the authority to pass judgements on our political loyalty or hand us certificates of treason,” Gandapur said.
He said loyalty to the party should be judged by years of struggle, sacrifices and practical contribution rather than the preferences of a few individuals.
Referring to Raja’s mention of “undemocratic decision-makers” and an alleged conspiracy by a group, Gandapur challenged him to identify those he was referring to.
“First, make it clear who these people are,” he said, asking which lawmakers were being accused of seeking to decide the provincial president or next chief minister without the approval of Imran or the political committee. “If you have evidence, name them,” Gandapur said.
He also questioned the basis for what he described as a serious allegation that a group had severed contact with now-dysfunctional chief minister Sohail Afridi and his team, paving the way for emergency and governor’s rule.
Gandapur also questioned Raja’s reference to an investigation, asking who had ordered it and under which authorised forum it was being conducted.
“If an investigation is under way, why does the party not know about it?” he asked. Referring to PTI KP President Junaid Akbar as “our brother”, Gandapur said the party was praying for his early recovery.
He also questioned the reported appointment of Ali Asghar Khan as acting provincial president in Akbar’s absence, asking where the formal notification was and who had exercised the authority to make the appointment.
Gandapur said KP had always stood with Imran, adding that the province’s workers and elected representatives had endured arrests, violence and severe difficulties following May 9 without abandoning their leader or political ideology. He said the same workers and representatives had won the 2024 elections, defended their mandate and continued to raise the party flag despite difficult circumstances.
The former chief minister also questioned the role of some central party office-bearers during repeated marches towards Islamabad, saying their presence and practical contribution on difficult occasions had not met workers’ expectations.
“That too should be accounted for before the party,” he said.