ISLAMABAD: A fresh, fiery power struggle has erupted within the ranks of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as the party’s embattled acting chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali boldly asserted his authority on Wednesday positioning himself as the sole figure of control in the wake of the imprisonment of PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan.
In what was meant to be a routine meeting to discuss ongoing internal matters, the temperature in the room soared when PTI Secretary General Slaman Akram Raja, also a barrister, dropped a bombshell regarding the controversial ban on visits to Khan in jail.
Raja, standing firm, made it absolutely clear that he would not tolerate any breach of party discipline. His stance was unambiguous: no PTI member would be granted permission to meet Imran Khan behind bars without his explicit approval.
Raja was also quick to underline the growing concerns that some PTI leaders, who appeared to be in the establishment’s good graces, were being afforded preferential treatment, while those more loyal to Khan – including his own family members – had been blocked from visiting him.
But Gohar, whose calm demeanour in public has made him seem like a composed figurehead, wasn’t about to take this lying down.
The acting chairman, whose authority is already being tested amid Khan’s prolonged absence, hit back in no uncertain terms.
With his characteristic coolness, Gohar made it crystal clear that he could visit Khan in prison whenever he wished and that his loyalty was solely to Imran Khan – leaving no doubt that he is not answerable to anyone but to the jailed leader himself.
The showdown didn’t end there. Gohar went on to challenge Raja’s authority, taking issue with the warning that any party member who bypassed Raja’s orders and sought to visit Khan would be branded as a persona non grata.
Gohar’s response was sharp and cutting. His message? No one, not even Raja, could dictate who would or would not have access to Imran Khan.
The sources privy to the meeting revealed a fiery exchange between Raja and Gohar, as tensions rise over who is allowed access to Imran Khan in prison.
According to insiders, Raja didn’t mince words, retaliating sharply to Gohar’s demands, making it clear that only those on his exclusive list would be granted entry to the former prime minister.
Raja’s warning was crystal clear: “Don’t forget, I know exactly who’s been given the green light to meet Khan – thanks to the blessings of the establishment – and who’s not. Just look at how even Khan’s own sisters have been barred from seeing him.”
He didn’t stop there, adding that Khan is fully aware of the controversial individuals visiting on whose behalf, and what their true intentions are.
In no uncertain terms, Raja reminded Gohar that party discipline is non-negotiable. Only Khan’s loyalists, he stressed, should have the privilege
of seeing him in jail.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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