ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary party meeting has triggered fresh questions about internal cohesion, after scenes of tension, sharp exchanges, and an abrupt end to the gathering came to light.
The meeting expected to chart a future course for the party inside parliament instead exposed visible cracks, leaving many lawmakers frustrated and observers guessing about what may unfold next. In such a case, a significant number of PTI Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and senators did not attend the session.
Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai was also absent, adding to concerns over the meeting’s importance and turnout. In this regard, the several lawmakers requested Chief Whip Aamir Dogar to postpone the session, citing exhaustion after long journeys.
However, the request did not ease the atmosphere, and tensions escalated almost immediately after the meeting started. The situation took a dramatic turn when Senator Dr Zarqa arrived to attend the parliamentary party meeting.
The sources mentioned that the senior party member Shahid Khattak objected strongly to her presence, allegedly warning her to leave the meeting. Senator Dr Zarqa maintained that she had already submitted her reply to a show-cause notice and that no final decision had yet been taken by the party leadership.
The exchange reportedly intensified the already charged environment inside the room. PTI sources say the verbal confrontation at the very start of the meeting made it impossible for the session to continue.
The members of the parliamentary party left the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, where the meeting was being held. Later, Shahid Khattak declined to comment in detail, stating only that he did not wish to discuss internal party matters.
The incident has raised fresh questions about discipline, decision-making, and unity within PTI at a time when the party faces major political challenges inside and outside parliament. What was meant to be a strategic discussion instead ended in silence and speculation.
