Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday confirmed that the party’s organisational structure in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) would remain unchanged, with Junaid Akbar continuing as provincial president until further instructions.
The decision was communicated through an official notification shared on social media platform X, amid reports of growing disagreements within the party over its provincial leadership and political direction.
The notification clarified that neither the provincial cabinet nor the existing organisational arrangements would be altered.
Under the new directives, Senator Noorul Haq Qadri, the party’s senior vice-president in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, will chair provincial cabinet meetings whenever Junaid Akbar is unavailable.
The notification further authorised PTI K-P General Secretary Ali Asghar to preside over these meetings in the absence of the senior vice-president.
Asghar has also been empowered to convene and lead meetings at other levels of the party’s provincial organisation.
His responsibilities include overseeing administrative affairs, coordinating activities and supervising the party’s various organisational tiers and wings.
According to the notification, these arrangements are intended to ensure the effective implementation of PTI policies, strategies and decisions throughout the province.
The document was formally signed by Barrister Gohar in his capacity as PTI chairman.
The announcement comes amid continuing political tensions in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa following PTI’s long march towards Islamabad, which began on October 4.
After negotiations between the government and opposition failed to produce an agreement, emergency measures and governor’s rule were declared in the province on October 11.
On the same day, police arrested 59 PTI workers in Swabi and six in Khyber district.
Reports also emerged that former K-P chief minister Sohail Afridi and provincial PTI president Junaid Akbar had been taken into custody.
The developments were followed by reports of disagreements among senior PTI figures, with competing positions on the party’s leadership and strategy becoming increasingly visible on social media.
On October 21, The Express Tribune reported that former K-P chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja had publicly exchanged criticism concerning allegations of internal divisions.
Their disagreements reportedly centred on the provincial leadership, party decision-making and the management of PTI’s political affairs.
Against this backdrop, the latest notification establishes that Junaid Akbar will continue to lead the provincial organisation while designated senior officials handle meetings and administrative responsibilities in his absence.