Islamabad: during the recent intraparty elections held on Thursday, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan emerges as the uncontested choice for the party’s new Chairman. Dr. Yasmin Rashi secures her position unopposed as the President for Punjab, signifying a significant reshuffle in PTI’s leadership hierarchy.
The PTI had set the stage for these pivotal elections by announcing the schedule, prompting members to submit their nomination papers on February 23 and 24. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan’s ascendancy to the chairmanship marks a continuity from his direct appointment in December 2023, amidst the legal challenges faced by the party’s founder, Imran Khan. Previously associated with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Barrister Gohar transitioned to PTI and emerged as a key legal aide to Imran Khan before assuming the party’s chairmanship.
Similarly, Omar Ayub secures the position of General Secretary uncontested, leveraging his prior experience as a minister under Prime Minister Imran Khan, particularly in the domains of economics and energy. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur clinches the presidency unopposed, further consolidating PTI’s grip in the region.
In an intriguing development, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, the elected president for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, throws his hat into the ring for the position of Chief Minister, as revealed through a social media post on platform X by the party’s official account.
Meanwhile, Haleem Adil Sheikh assumes the presidency for Sindh unchallenged, marking a comprehensive sweep for PTI in the recent intraparty elections.
The formal announcement of the new leadership lineup is slated for Sunday in Quetta, following the election for the president of Balochistan’s post. This development comes in the aftermath of the PTI’s intraparty election in December 2023, prompted by Imran Khan’s resignation from party leadership amid legal disputes.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) invalidated the election, precipitating a cascade of events including the loss of PTI’s electoral symbol right before the general election, upheld by the Supreme Court (SC) last month. Consequently, PTI candidates participated as independents in the February 8 general election, marking a significant turn in Pakistan’s political landscape.
