PTI Faces Internal Revolt in KP Over Senate Ticket Dispute

Peshawar, July 18, 2025:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing intense internal unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as party organizers and office-bearers publicly opposed the leadership’s Senate ticket decisions, warning of protests, sit-ins, and potential disruption of the election process if their demands are not addressed.

The controversy centers around Irfan Saleem, a Peshawar-based loyalist who, despite strong grassroots support, was denied a Senate ticket by the party’s provincial leadership. In a fiery press conference, local PTI officials declared that Irfan Saleem’s nomination would not be withdrawn under any circumstances, and demanded that he be officially recognized as the party’s Senate candidate from Peshawar.

Calling the decision a “betrayal of PTI’s ideological foundations”, organizers accused the party leadership of favoring wealthy elites or “ATMs” over committed workers who had served the party faithfully for years.

“If our legitimate demands are ignored, we will surround the Provincial Assembly, the Chief Minister’s House, and even the Red Zone,” warned one senior office-bearer. “No MPA will be allowed to cast their vote on election day.”

The dissenting group claimed that 13 to 15 MPAs have pledged their support for Irfan Saleem, rejecting the official list of candidates and condemning what they say are efforts to have certain nominees elected unopposed through manipulated processes.

Framing the dispute as an ideological battle rooted in Imran Khan’s original vision, the office-bearers expressed frustration with current PTI leaders, accusing them of betraying the party base and stripping public representatives of their democratic rights.

“This is not just a ticket dispute — it’s about defending the party’s values,” they said.

The crisis adds to PTI’s growing instability in its former stronghold province, with threats of large-scale protests, blockades, and defiance against the leadership just days before the Senate elections. With party unity in question, the unfolding drama poses serious challenges for PTI’s organizational strength in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.