Ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned protest on November 24, reports have surfaced of growing rifts within the party’s district organization in Peshawar. Senior PTI leaders in the region, including Senior Vice President Malik Aslam and General Secretary Taqdir Ali, have resigned from their positions, citing internal disputes.
Taqdir Ali publicly announced his resignation in a video message shared on social media, while Malik Aslam submitted his handwritten resignation directly to the party leadership. The resignations appear to stem from disagreements over the distribution of party posts, with sources indicating that further resignations from the Peshawar district are likely in the coming days.
Efforts by PTI’s central leadership to convince the resigned officials to reconsider their decisions are reportedly ongoing. Despite the tension, PTI Peshawar Region President Arbab Asim downplayed the rifts, describing them as “minor differences” and assuring the media that the issue of post distribution would be resolved.
Meanwhile, as the November 24 protest draws closer, PTI is facing increasing pressure from law enforcement. Police in the capital city have begun rounding up PTI leaders and workers ahead of the demonstration, with CCTV footage emerging of late-night raids on homes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Dozens of PTI activists, including Shoaib Shaheen, have reportedly been detained, along with General Secretary Raja Ghazanfar, who has been arrested by the police.
The crackdown on PTI leaders and the internal divisions within the party are raising concerns about the stability of the party’s leadership as it prepares for its major protest later this week.
