Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has expressed dissatisfaction with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s performance and asked him to step down.
ARY News reported, citing well-placed sources that Khan conveyed a message through party figures regarding Afridi’s performance and his role as chief minister.
Sources said Khan had previously sent a message through a lawyer asking Afridi to step down from the post.
During a recent meeting at Adiala Jail, Khan’s sister Nooreen Niazi reportedly informed him that Afridi had announced a long march towards Islamabad for September 27.
She also reportedly told Khan that a group of PTI MPAs associated with former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur was opposed to Afridi. According to sources, around 35 MPAs were said to be unhappy with the incumbent chief minister.
Sources claimed Khan then directed that a no-confidence motion be moved against Afridi if he failed to bring the planned march to Islamabad.
He also reportedly asked that a message be conveyed to Ali Amin Gandapur to move the no-confidence motion if Afridi did not participate in the Islamabad march.
According to sources, further changes were made to the protest programme after the message was conveyed to Afridi.
The report also highlighted internal differences within PTI over Afridi’s role, the provincial government and the party’s strategy for the Islamabad march.
Meanwhile, sources claimed that a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa civil officer had shared the names and whereabouts of several assembly members and key PTI workers with law-enforcement agencies.
Sources further said an important federal minister remained in contact with Afridi and that discussions were underway over the evolving political situation.
The report also claimed that PTI figures and Afridi were in contact with federal officials over possible political developments, including discussions surrounding emergency measures or Governor’s Rule.
Afridi, meanwhile, has rejected reports about his possible removal as baseless and said that only Imran Khan could decide his political future.
The PTI had initially planned the Islamabad march for September 27 but later announced that it had been postponed until October 4.
