Senate Polls: Barrister Saif threatens to resign as nominations spark Infighting in PTI
- By Naeem Ashraf Butt -
- Jul 17, 2025
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing internal discord over the allocation of tickets for the upcoming Senate election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scheduled for July 21, according to party sources.
Barrister Saif, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Advisor, is reportedly committed to implementing directives issued by the PTI founder during a recent meeting at Adiala Jail. Sources indicate that the party founder instructed Barrister Saif to announce six PTI nominees for the Senate election. However, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has allegedly attempted to delay the announcement.
Sources claim that Gandapur and Aleema Khanum exerted pressure on Barrister Saif, citing the need for further consultation. In response, Barrister Saif reportedly stated, “I will resign from my position before betraying the party founder’s trust.” He also conveyed the founder’s frustration with internal conflicts and public criticism within the party, according to sources.
Following Saif’s threat to resign, the six candidates nominated by the PTI founder were retained, with no changes made to the list. Sources further revealed that Gandapur and Khanum had sought to remove Mishal Yousafzai and another candidate from the nominees’ list.
PTI announces to boycott ARY News over this report
Later in the day, PTI leader Shaikh Waqas Akram said that this report is baseless and announced to boycott the channel for a day over this story.
He said that PTI leaders will not take part in ARY News talkshows on Thursday.
Naeem Ashraf Butt, the journalist behind the report, has unequivocally stood by his story, asserting his professional right to protect the confidentiality of his sources.