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Senate Election Talks in KP Falter as Disgruntled PTI Leaders Refuse to Withdraw
KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s talks with disgruntled PTI Senate candidates fail. Irfan Saleem, Ayesha Bano & others refuse to withdraw nominations despite 5/6 seat deal with opposition.
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-18
Senate Election Talks in KP Falter as Disgruntled PTI Leaders Refuse to Withdraw

Efforts by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to unify his party ahead of the upcoming Senate elections have hit a roadblock, as negotiations with disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates have failed.

Sources confirm that Chief Minister Gandapur held a crucial meeting with PTI’s dissatisfied Senate nominees in a bid to persuade them to step down in favor of a mutually agreed seat-sharing formula with the opposition. However, the talks failed to achieve a breakthrough, and the disgruntled candidates have decided to stay in the race.

The dissenting candidates—identified as Irfan Saleem, Ayesha Bano, Irshad Hussain, and Waqas Orakzai—refused to withdraw their nomination papers, asserting that they would not back down under any circumstances.

Barrister Gohar and senior lawyer Salman Akram Raja reportedly facilitated the meeting and brought the dissenters to the negotiating table with the Chief Minister. A second round of talks between Gandapur and the disgruntled candidates is scheduled for 9 PM tonight in an attempt to defuse the tension and salvage party unity.

This internal conflict arises despite a major breakthrough between the provincial government and opposition parties just a day earlier. In that meeting, CM Gandapur and opposition leaders agreed to hold unopposed Senate elections in KP under a 5/6 seat-sharing formula. According to the arrangement, PTI would secure 6 Senate seats while the opposition would be allotted 5, with both sides agreeing to withdraw extra candidates.

The refusal of the disgruntled PTI candidates to honor the internal party discipline poses a serious challenge to the implementation of this political understanding.

Political observers note that this internal party unrest could undermine PTI's Senate strategy in KP, which had so far relied on party cohesion and a united front.

All eyes are now on the second round of talks scheduled tonight, which may determine whether PTI can contain the rift or face a contested election within its own ranks.

 
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