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PTI to Contest KP Senate Elections Jointly with PPP, PML-N, JUI Against Disgruntled Leaders
PTI joins hands with PPP, PML-N, and JUI in KP Senate polls to counter defiant party candidates. Disgruntled leaders refuse to withdraw, vowing to stand on "principles."
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-19
PTI to Contest KP Senate Elections Jointly with PPP, PML-N, JUI Against Disgruntled Leaders

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has agreed to contest the upcoming Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with rival parties — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) — in an attempt to isolate and defeat its own disgruntled members who refused to withdraw their nomination papers.

The move comes as intra-party cracks deepen within PTI, with several candidates defying the leadership’s instructions to step down from the Senate race.

According to PPP Senate candidate Talha Mahmood, representatives from both the government and the opposition — including PTI’s Chief Minister of KP, Ali Amin Gandapur — participated in a meeting to finalize the alliance strategy. Mahmood told Geo News that if the dissident candidates do not withdraw by Sunday, the joint candidates from the government and opposition will proceed to contest all seats collaboratively.

As per the agreement, the government will receive six Senate seats and the opposition five, with all parties pledging to uphold the deal.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar emphasized that only candidates nominated by the PTI founder are recognized and those violating party discipline by continuing their Senate bids will face strict action.

However, the party’s internal discord appears far from resolved.

Leading dissident PTI leader Khurram Zeeshan strongly rejected the decision, declaring he would not withdraw under any circumstances. “This issue has gone beyond the Senate elections,” he said. “Is collaboration with these political parties the ideology of our leader? I refuse to withdraw, refuse to bow down, refuse to compromise. To hell with politics and seats. We stand on principles and will remain so.”

The situation presents a significant challenge to PTI's internal cohesion and raises questions about ideological alignment and discipline enforcement ahead of a high-stakes Senate vote in the politically vital province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

 
Tagged:

PTI

SenateElections

PoliticalCrisis

KhyberPakhtunkhwa
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