His only grievance with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was his alleged inaction on the release of Imran Khan.
PESHAWAR:
A group of dissident government legislators in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly have openly expressed their discontent, harshly criticizing the provincial leadership for failing to secure the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Led by former minister Mushtaq Ghani, the group made its position public through a strong message on social media. Ghani categorically denied being part of any lobby or advanced bloc, stating that his only grievance with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was his alleged inaction on the release of Imran Khan.
“Our only single-point agenda is the release of Imran Khan,” Ghani declared. He described the ongoing movement for Khan’s freedom as “homeopathic” in approach, arguing that such methods would not yield results. “If we are going to sit in front of Parliament on June 10, then we should not stand up until Khan is released,” he added.
The emergence of the dissident group has added a new layer of tension within the ruling coalition in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Ghani emphasized that the lawmakers were not seeking personal benefits or aligned with any hidden faction, but were motivated solely by the demand for the immediate freedom of their party founder.
In response, Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Salim Swati has acted quickly to contain the brewing crisis. He met Mushtaq Ghani in Abbottabad on Saturday and assured him that the dissidents’ concerns would be addressed. Sources said the rebels were also offered positions in the provincial cabinet, but they sought time until today to deliberate.
A consultative meeting of the dissident group is scheduled for today in Peshawar, just before the provincial assembly session. The outcome of the meeting is being closely monitored, as any escalation could threaten the stability of the ruling system in the province.
Political observers point out that this development reflects the growing frustration within the PTI ranks over the party’s strategy regarding the prolonged detention of Imran Khan. The situation remains unstable as both the provincial government and the dissidents prepare for crucial deliberations.
