Imran orders PTI members holding govt roles to relinquish party positions

• Raja says move aims to assist Junaid Akbar to reorganise PTI.
• Rebuffs concerns regarding Imran Khan's health.
• Imran "very sad" about the condition of national cricket.

RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan issued instructions on Tuesday, through the party's secretary general, asking PTI members who are serving in government roles to relinquish party positions. 

"The move aims to assist [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter president] Junaid Akbar in getting a free hand to reorganise the party," PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said while speaking to journalists after meeting the former prime minister in Adiala jail.

Last month, the PTI founder removed KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur from his position as the party’s provincial president and appointed Junaid Akbar as the new head.

The former ruling party clarified that the decision to relieve Gandapur of the provincial presidency was made upon his request, allowing him to focus on addressing the challenges faced by the province. He has faced criticism over the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly the ongoing unrest and violent incidents in Kurram and Parachinar.

Following his appointment, Akbar hinted at a large-scale reshuffle in the party’s hierarchy, saying that “hardliners” would be appointed to key positions in the Khan-founded party, and that the “homoeopathic leadership” would be sidelined after the party reorganisation, slated for May this year.

Talking to the media today, Raja rebuffed concerns regarding Imran's health issues, saying the former premier was in good health.

"Imran had said the jail administration was under the control of unseen forces," Raja said, announcing Khan's decision to write to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on issues within the prison system.

The secretary-general noted that the delegation apprised Khan of their recent visit to Sindh, including the resistance against the construction of dams. "Imran has vowed that PTI will fight for the rights of Sindh," he added.

Quoting the former premier, he said PTI was doing politics for the people of Pakistan and lambasted the Punjab government for its "continued fascism".

In response to a question, Raja said the party met the chief justice with Imran's permission as he "ordered us to apprise the top judge of the country's overall situation".

"We are stakeholders of Pakistan...we will knock on doors of every institution," he said, adding that there was no room in the PTI for those "who voted in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment".

"The fates of those who were absent or were out of touch during the passage of the 26th amendment will be decided one by one," Raja added.

Responding to a question regarding Pakistan's debacle in the ICC Champions Trophy, he said Imran is "very sad" about the condition of national cricket. "The people of Pakistan have a strong connection with cricket," he said, adding that this sport has been made a joke in the last few years.