PESHAWAR : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President, Junaid Akbar, has publicly denied the authenticity of an alleged audio leak suggesting his resignation, while offering candid remarks on the party’s internal environment following the incarceration of its founder.
Addressing media queries, an evidently frustrated Akbar dismissed the leaked audio. “When did I say that I am resigning?” he questioned, firmly refuting the viral clip. He also voiced grievances about parliamentary proceedings, stating he would formally request the speaker to allot him a separate seat if he continues to be denied adequate speaking time.
Shifting to internal party matters, Akbar presented a stark picture of the current PTI hierarchy. “Everyone in PTI calls themselves a leader after the founder,” he remarked, hinting at a fluid and possibly contested leadership structure within the party since Imran Khan’s imprisonment.
Commenting on the party’s new chairman, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Akbar suggested an adjustment period was needed. “Mahmood Achakzai will take time to adjust; our party has its own culture,” he said, implying a distinct PTI ethos that the new head must assimilate into.
Furthermore, the PTI leader took a political stance against the recent Basant celebrations in parts of the province. “Whoever celebrated Basant should know that we were in protest all day,” he asserted, aligning the party with a posture of solemnity and dissent rather than festivity. His comments collectively underscore a period of internal recalibration and persistent political opposition for the PTI in KP.
