PESHAWAR; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has stirred a major controversy within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by directly accusing Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, of causing rifts inside the party.
In a video statement released on Tuesday, Gandapur alleged that Aleema was not only fueling internal divisions but also being facilitated by the Military Intelligence and “establishment” to weaken party unity.
Declaring his loyalty to Imran Khan, Gandapur said: “Imran Khan is my leader, I am loyal to him. It is my right to convey the truth to him, and I have made him aware of all that has been happening.”
He claimed that for weeks he was denied permission to meet the imprisoned party founder, and during that period, communication with Khan was mostly filtered through his sisters. This, he said, gave rise to confusion and created a deep divide in PTI ranks.
The chief minister defended his government’s decision to present the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget, explaining that the step was necessary to save the provincial administration from disqualification.
He stressed that since there were no direct instructions from Imran Khan to withhold the budget, his team proceeded. However, Gandapur lamented that soon after, “campaigns were launched declaring me and my parliamentarians traitors,” despite his assurances that Khan could later amend the budget if he wished.
He accused certain quarters of running smear campaigns against him and his MPAs, branding them as betrayers of the party. Gandapur rejected allegations that he was part of a so-called “minus Imran Khan” plan, insisting that no one in PTI had either the courage or the intention to sideline the party founder.
The KP CM went further, claiming he told Khan directly that Aleema Khan was playing a “big role” in dividing PTI.
According to Gandapur, party workers were demoralised, leaders were being discredited, and little progress was being made on efforts to secure Imran Khan’s release. Instead, he said, “groupism in the party is rising, with some people serving their own personal interests.”
In his statement, Gandapur alleged that Aleema was actively in contact with vloggers who were amplifying divisions within PTI.
Instead of discouraging such behaviour, he claimed, she was encouraging it. He pointed to political commentator Hafeezullah Niazi’s articles that allegedly referred to Aleema Khan as “prime minister” and suggested she could become PTI chairperson, implying that she was entertaining such narratives.
The accusations mark a rare public confrontation within PTI’s top circle. While Gandapur attempted to portray himself as a loyal lieutenant faithfully conveying hard truths to his leader, his remarks underscore the growing internal fractures in a party already under intense external pressure.
Aleema Khan, meanwhile, has categorically denied such allegations in her own media interactions, stressing that Imran Khan remains the undisputed leader of PTI. She dismissed Gandapur’s claims as baseless and damaging, and reiterated that all efforts are focused on securing her brother’s release and reviving the party’s political momentum.
The widening war of words between senior PTI figures highlights the deepening strains within the party at a time when it faces both internal disunity and mounting challenges from outside forces.
