‘Worried’ Imran Khan meets PTI leader in Adiala Jail

PESHAWAR: Amid rumours of rift between party leaders, jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has ordered Atif Khan and Junaid Akbar to meet him at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

In conversation with Geo News On Sunday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister's Information Adviser, Lawyer Muhammad Ali Saif, confirmed the development and said Khan had expressed concern over the “impression” of a faction within the party.

The confirmation of the former ruling party was marked by internal turmoil after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's communications and works minister Shakeel Ahmad Khan resigned over alleged corruption and poor governance by the government led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in the province.

The resignation came after Shakeel complained about embezzlement in several departments of KP during his meeting with Khan in Adiala Jail, following which the former prime minister warned members of his party's government in KP that they would be held accountable for corruption and governance problems in their departments.

The party then set up a three-member committee to monitor corruption and governance in KP.

Sources familiar with the matter said Shakeel had claimed that he was unable to discharge his duties properly due to corruption and poor governance in the province and alleged that Chief Minister Gandapur's interference in his portfolio was affecting his performance.

In response, the Chief Minister of KP announced that, on the recommendation of the committee, he had signed a summary demanding the cancellation of Shakeel's notification.

The issue has created a rift in the party leadership, with Atif Khan and Junaid Akbar throwing their weight behind Shakeel, which apparently did not please the KP government, which appointed the latter as CM Gandapur's point man. The news was reported on Sunday.

Explaining the matter, lawyer Saif said that the PTI founder had ordered Akbar's name to be included in the accountability committee, but he was later removed from the panel.

According to sources, the two PTI leaders are scheduled to meet Khan next week after the KP government complained about the two.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad earlier in the day, the KP Prime Minister's Advisor recalled that “some people” had complained to Khan about corruption in KP, following which the former prime minister held meetings with officials from Gandapur and various other places and conveyed a message stressing that there was zero tolerance towards corruption.

When I met the PTI founder, he said he would form a committee and noted that the forum would decide on the complaints, Saif said.

Commenting on Ahmad's dismissal, the KP government spokesman stated that the committee had found the former provincial minister guilty of the charges against him.

“Ahmad resigned before his dismissal [….] The matter should have been settled after the resignation [but] The impression was that there were differences of opinion within the party,” Saif said.

Recalling his meeting with the jailed PTI founder on Saturday, he said: “[Imran] Khan said if anyone has objections, then [he should know] that I formed the committee.”