Peshawar, May 1, 2026: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan on Friday reaffirmed the party’s support for Sohail Afridi, stating that he will continue to serve as chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking in Peshawar, Gohar dismissed reports circulating on social media regarding Afridi’s possible removal, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
He said Afridi was nominated for the post by PTI founder Imran Khan and continues to enjoy the full confidence and support of the party leadership.
According to Gohar, the chief minister’s performance has positively reflected PTI’s governance in the province.
“Those running a campaign against Sohail Afridi will face disappointment and failure,” the PTI chairman said.
He further asserted that Afridi could not be disqualified and rejected suggestions of internal divisions within the party.
“There is no forward bloc within PTI,” he added, reiterating that the party remains united behind the chief minister.
The clarification comes amid recent criticism by Aleema Khan, who publicly questioned the performance of the PTI leadership, including the chairman and secretary general, over the handling of the party’s protest movement and concerns regarding Imran Khan’s health.
She had also objected to the postponement of the party’s planned public gathering scheduled for April 9 — the anniversary of the 2022 no-confidence vote that led to the removal of the PTI government.
Separately, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also denied reports of internal rifts within the party leadership.
Defending the decision to postpone the April 9 rally, Raja said the move was made strategically to avoid interference with ongoing international diplomatic engagements.
He added that the message to delay the gathering had been conveyed by Imran Khan through his legal counsel, Salman Safdar.
