LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member Fawad Chaudhry on Monday voiced concern over the absence of a clear strategy for securing the release of PTI’s founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been detained for 450 days.
Addressing media after his appearance before the Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore, Chaudhry also condemned PTI’s current leadership approach, which he described as neglectful of both the founder’s situation and the party’s detained workers.
Chaudhry questioned the party’s apparent inaction, specifically regarding visits or support for jailed PTI members such as Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Omar Cheema, and Mehmood Rashid. “Pakistan’s jails are full of PTI members, yet the leadership has not shown support,” he said.
Chaudhry was also critical of the approach taken by PTI’s new General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, whom he accused of prioritizing the safety of party leaders over the welfare of the workers.
“Salman Raja tweeted that it does not matter if workers are arrested, but leaders should not be detained,” Chaudhry alleged.
Citing his own legal battles, Chaudhry revealed that he is currently fighting 48 cases, with only one acquittal to date. He questioned the narrative that PTI members are “terrorists,” stating, “Are we terrorists, and do Pakistanis vote for terrorists?”
He further criticized the ruling coalition, accusing it of using the 26th Amendment to undermine the judiciary, and described the government’s economic policies as causing undue suffering for Pakistan’s working and salaried classes.
Chaudhry called on Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and his sister, Aleema Khan, to enter active roles in PTI to stabilize party leadership and reinforce strategy in Imran Khan’s absence.
In response to rumors of internal discord, PTI leader Omar Ayub rejected claims of divisions within the party.
Speaking outside a courtroom in Islamabad, Ayub insisted that PTI remains cohesive, united under Imran Khan’s leadership. He said, “There is no division; we have one bloc, and that is the ‘Imran Khan bloc.’”
Ayub voiced confidence in Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, expressing hope that the judiciary would maintain its independence despite government pressure.
Addressing recent internal notices issued to party members over their stance on the 26th Amendment, Ayub clarified that no disciplinary action has been taken against Zain Qureshi or other prominent leaders.
Criticizing the government’s handling of the 26th Amendment, Ayub argued that it lacks the necessary parliamentary support, citing missing votes in the Senate and the absence of reserved seats for women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that while Jamaat-e-Islami’s ideology differs from PTI’s, they share common opposition to the amendment. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman and we both oppose this, even if our ideologies differ,” Ayub stated.
