Islamabad [Pakistan], July 14 : The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is visibly fractured, exposing the party's deepening internal chaos amid its newly launched anti-government protest movement, Geo News reported.
Senior PTI leaders are publicly divided over the strategy and timing of the campaign aimed at pressuring the government for the release of party founder Imran Khan, who has been jailed for nearly two years. Speaking at a Lahore press conference, CM Muhammad Azam Khan Gandapur declared the protest a "do or die" movement set to peak on August 5, signalling a confrontational approach. However, PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza openly questioned the vague plans, demanding clarity on the movement's goals and logistics, reflecting a lack of cohesion and leadership within the party.
The disarray within PTI mirrors the party's history of political theatrics rather than effective governance or constructive opposition. Gandapur's boast that PTI will mobilise "every corner of the country" regardless of being in government or not appears more posturing than practical politics, Geo News noted.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari sharply criticised Gandapur and the PTI leadership for their hypocrisy and failure to address real issues. She challenged Gandapur to prove his claims by returning to govern effectively, citing government achievements like scholarships for talented students and rapid hospital construction as proof of tangible progress rather than empty slogans.
Azma condemned PTI's violent past and ongoing disruptive tactics, accusing them of silence over tragedies in Swat and Balochistan and highlighting the party's role in promoting instability. She strongly denounced the party's involvement in spreading deepfake campaigns targeting the Army Chief, branding these as acts by enemies of the state aimed at undermining Pakistan's security institutions.
As the PTI struggles with internal conflicts and incoherent strategies, its attempts to destabilise the government risk exacerbating Pakistan's political instability, Geo News concluded.