Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf پاکستان تحريکِ انصاف Pakistan Movement for Justice | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | PTI |
| President | Parvez Elahi |
| Chairman | Gohar Ali Khan |
| Secretary-General | Salman Akram Raja[1] |
| Spokesperson | Sheikh Waqas Akram |
| Vice Chairman | Shah Mahmood Qureshi |
| Founder | Imran Khan |
| Founded | 25 April 1996 (29 years ago) (1996-04-25) |
| Headquarters | Sector G-6/4 Islamabad-44000,ICT |
| Student wing | Insaf Student Federation |
| Youth wing | Insaf Youth Wing[2] |
| Women's wing | Insaf Women Wing |
| Research Wing | Insaf Research Wing |
| Membership(2012) | 10 million[3] |
| Ideology | |
| National affiliation | Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin[5] |
| Colors | |
| Slogan | Change the system — change Pakistan[6] |
| AJK Assembly | 5 / 53 |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www | |
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|---|---|---|
Personal Post-premiership | ||
ThePakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)[a] is a political party inPakistan established in 1996 by cricketer and politicianImran Khan, who served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The party is led byGohar Ali Khan since late 2023. It ranks among the three majorPakistani political parties alongside thePakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML–N) and thePakistan People's Party (PPP).
PTI failed to win a single seat in the1997 general election and won only one seat in the2002 general election, which was secured by Khan himself. From 1999 to 2007, the PTI supported the presidency of GeneralPervez Musharraf. It later rose in opposition to Musharraf in 2007 and also boycotted the2008 general election, accusing it of having been conducted with fraudulent procedures under Musharraf's rule. The global popularity of the "Third Way" during the Musharraf era led to the rise of a new Pakistani political bloc focused oncentrism, deviating from the traditional dominance of thecentre-left PPP and thecentre-right PML–N. When thePML–Q began to decline in the aftermath of Musharraf's presidency, much of its centrist voter bank was lost to the PTI. Around the same time, the PPP's popularity began to decrease after the disqualification ofYusuf Raza Gillani in 2012. With a claimed membership of over 10 million in Pakistan in 2012,[3] the PTI appealed to many former PPP voters, particularly in the provinces ofPunjab andKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, due to its outlook onpopulism.
In the2013 general election, the PTI emerged as a major party with over 7.5 million votes, ranking second by number of votes and third by number of seats won. At the provincial level, it was voted to power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During its time in opposition, the PTI, with the help of popular slogans such asTabdeeli Arahi Hai (lit. 'change is coming'), mobilized people in rallies over public distress on various national issues, the most notable of which was the2014 Azadi march.[7] In the2018 general election, it received 16.9 million votes—the largest amount for any political party in Pakistan thus far. It became the largest party in terms of representation in theNational Assembly of Pakistan since the2018 general election and then formed the national government in coalition with five other parties for the first time, with Khan serving as the new Pakistani prime minister. However, in April 2022, ano-confidence motion against Khan removed him and his PTI government from office at the federal level.[8][9]
Officially, the PTI has stated that its focus is on turning Pakistan into a model welfare state espousingIslamic socialism,[10][11] and also on dismantlingreligious discrimination against Pakistani minorities.[12][13] The PTI terms itself an anti–status quo movement advocating anIslamic democracy centred onegalitarianism.[14][11][15] It claims to be the onlynon-dynastic party of mainstream Pakistani politics in contrast to parties such as the PPP and PML–N.[16] Since 2019, the party has been criticized by political opponents and analysts alike for its failures to address various economic and political issues, particularly thePakistani economy, which was further weakened in light of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[17][18][19] However, Khan's government was later praised for leading the country's pandemic recovery in its later stages.[20] During its time in power, the party faced backlash over its crackdown on the Pakistani opposition as well as its regulation of increased censorship through curbs on Pakistani media outlets and freedom of speech.[21][22][23]
The party faced a crackdown following theMay 9 riots, with arrests, detention and the resignation of party leaders, while the government claimed that this action was a necessary response to the violence, vandalism, and arson allegedly carried out by PTI officeholders and supporters. On 2 December 2023,Gohar Ali Khan was elected unopposed as the Chairman of the PTI. Imran Khan nominated him for the position of the new chairman of the PTI.[24]
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was founded byImran Khan on 25 April 1996 inLahore.[25] PTI was conceived when Khan discussed forming a political party at the home of Dr. Nausherwan Burki, head of theShaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH). Those involved included Pervez Hasan, a lawyer and SKMH board member;Naeemul Haq, Khan's former bank manager and close associate; Abdul Hafeez Khan, a Pakistani expatriate businessman; and Ahsan Rashid, a former oil company executive and SKMH fundraiser in Saudi Arabia. Later that day,Hamid Khan, a constitutional lawyer, was approached and joined the party. Khan cited frustration with government corruption and restrictions placed byBenazir Bhutto's government on his philanthropic activities as reasons for entering politics. Although Khan instructed that SKMH fundraising be kept separate from PTI, many founding members were donors or fundraisers for the hospital, and the party's early culture reflected its philanthropic origins.[26]
Among the party's founding members wereAkbar S. Babar,[27]Arif Alvi,[28]Asad Qaiser,[29]Imran Ismail,[30] andOmar Sarfraz Cheema.[31]Aamir Mehmood Kiani andFaisal Javed also joined the party in 1996.[32][33] Early women members includedFauzia Kasuri, an SKMH fundraiser in the United States, and Saloni Bokhari, a Lahori businesswoman and SKMH donor,[34] both of whom are considered among the party's founding members;[35][36] andSadiqa Sahibdad Khan, a philanthropist and Hamid Khan's sister-in-law.[34] Alvi was regarded as one of the authors of the party's constitution,[37] and Hamid Khan was a leading intellectual influence on the party before 2011.[38]
The party's early constitutional documents expressed commitments tosocial democracy,constitutionalism, political decentralisation, and therule of law.[39] Some critics alleged that PTI was anestablishment party created by Pakistan'sInter-Services Intelligence to bolster the state's national security narrative by legitimising jihadi groups and mainstreaming extremism.[34]
From 1996 to 2002, PTI lacked a large activist base and meaningful internal competition. The party performed poorly in the 1997 and 2002 general elections, winning only Imran Khan's seat fromMianwali in both contests.[39]
TheLawyers' Movement, the pro-democracy mobilisation following GeneralPervez Musharraf's2007 Pakistani state of emergency, the decline of thePakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and disillusionment amongPakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers with Zardari's leadership contributed to an influx of workers and leaders into PTI.[40] During this period, PTI workers, particularly students from its student wing, theInsaf Students Federation (ISF), regularly participated in Lawyers' Movement rallies while carrying PTI flags, increasing the party's public visibility. From around 2007, PTI began attracting professional politicians from both right- and left-wing parties, including some prominent leaders ofJamaat-e-Islami and a gradual inflow of student activists from its student wing,Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, increasing its capacity to function as acatch-all party.[41]
PTI boycotted the2008 Pakistani general elections after Musharraf refused to step down as president.[39] Between 2008 and 2011, former members of the PML-Q and disillusioned PPP workers inPunjab also began joining PTI. High-profile entrants includedJahangir Tareen andAleem Khan, former ministers under Musharraf, who joined in 2011 before the October rally atMinar-e-Pakistan.[41] In order to join PTI, Tareen resigned from theNational Assembly of Pakistan, stating that his political vision aligned with that of party chairmanImran Khan. He emerged as one of the party’s most prominent financiers and organisers and was described byHerald as PTI's "money man", citing his central role in funding party activities, protests, and election campaigns.[42]
The party gained national prominence after the October 2011 Lahore rally, attended by an estimated 100,000 supporters, after which it began to be viewed as a viable political force.[43]Shah Mehmood Qureshi joined in 2012, followed by veteranPML-N leaderJaved Hashmi later that year.[41] In the period leading up to the October 2011 rally, PTI operated largely as a bottom-up movement driven by activists and new political entrants, with limited reliance on traditional constituency networks. The party mobilised support through expatriate fundraising, particularly from Pakistanis in the United States and United Kingdom, online membership registration and SMS-based enrolment, and the use of digital communication platforms such as SMSALL.PK.[41]
These organisational strategies contributed to the success of PTI's October 2011 rally, which became a template for later PTI rallies. The rally's format and aesthetics were subsequently adopted in PTI protests after 2013.[44]
Tensions between long-standing members and new entrants were already evident in 2012, leading the party to pursue intraparty elections as a means of resolving internal conflict.[45] Under its party manifesto, PTI is required to hold intra-party elections every four years; however, no such elections were held for nearly eleven years, and the party was identified by theElection Commission of Pakistan in January 2013 as having failed to conduct intra-party elections within the prescribed timeframe ahead of the general elections.[46] In January and February 2013, PTI held intraparty elections acrossPunjab and in parts ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa,[47] allowing members registered via SMS to vote either electronically or at local polling booths. Elections were conducted from the union council level up to the central council, withHamid Khan serving as election commissioner and the party's lawyers' wing assisting in administration.[45]
Following these polls,Imran Khan was elected chairperson unopposed in March 2013, as no other party official filed nomination papers to contest the position. Khan stated that the party would impose a two-term limit on its chairperson and that he would not serve as a lifetime party head, saying that such practices were inconsistent with democratic norms.[47] While the elections increased factional conflict and weakened PTI’s constituency campaigns in the 2013 general elections, their longer-term impact saw former PML-Q leadersJahangir Tareen andAleem Khan gain influence sidelining the party's old guard.[45]Naz Baloch, previously information secretary of the party's women's wing, was elected central vice president.[48] In June 2013, former PTI women's wing leaderFauzia Kasuri resigned from the party, alleging that the intra-party elections had not been conducted fairly and accusing the party's election commissioner, Hamid Khan, of preventing her from contesting. PTI rejected these claims, stating that the elections were held on 21 March 2013 and that Kasuri had relinquished her US citizenship after the polls, affecting her eligibility to contest.[49]
Reports by the commission headed byTasneem Noorani and the Justice (retd.) Wajihuddin Ahmed Election Tribunal confirmed manipulation of the intraparty elections.[45]Wajihuddin Ahmed stated that "buckets of money" had been poured into the intra-party elections and concluded that several contests had been rigged.[42] Wajihuddin recommended the expulsion of Tareen, Aleem Khan,Pervez Khattak, andNadir Leghari for rigging the elections and unlawfully occupying party positions. Despite pressure from party workers, Imran Khan declined to act on these recommendations, stating at a workers' convention that political leaders, like corporate executives, must rely on their own judgement; following this, grassroots workers began leaving the party in large numbers.[45]Herald reported, citing PTI members, that a group within the party led by Tareen opposed the public release of the tribunal's report.[42]
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PTI won 28 seats in theNational Assembly of Pakistan in the2013 Pakistani general election.[50][51] It emerged as the single largest party inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa after winning 59 seats, formed the provincial government with coalition support,[52][53][43] and emerged as the third-largest party nationally.[43] The PTI-ledPervez Khattak Administration presented a balanced, tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2013–14,[54] and introduced the Sehat Sahulat (Sehat Insaf Card) health insurance programme.[55][56] In November 2013, PTI ChairmanImran Khan directed Khattak to end the party's alliance with theQaumi Watan Party (QWP) due to its failure to take action against its ministers over corruption, includingBakht Baidar andIbrar Hussain.[57]
Following the elections,Jahangir Tareen's presence in PTI's senior leadership highlighted internal divisions within the party. According toHerald, his growing prominence highlighted a divide between party members who prioritised ideological mobilisation and those who held the view that electoral success required greater reliance on wealthy and influential candidates. Tareen was widely perceived as representing the latter group.[42]
A year after the elections, on 11 May 2014, PTI alleged that the 2013 general elections had been massively rigged.[58] On 14 August 2014, PTI organised theAzadi March from Lahore towards Islamabad, during which the party demanded Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif's resignation.[59]Javed Hashmi left the party in September 2014 after accusing Khan of colluding withTahir-ul-Qadri and elements of themilitary establishment against Sharif.[60] In March 2015, PTI entered into an agreement with theSharif administration to establish a judicial commission to inquire into allegations of rigging.[61]
In August 2015, PTI chairman Imran Khan suspendedWajihuddin Ahmed's basic party membership after he publicly discussed internal party matters,[62] amid differences over the implementation of recommendations made by the party's election tribunal on the 2013 intra-party elections.[63] PTI election commissionerTasneem Noorani resigned in 2016 after Khan declined to hold elections for the party's national leadership. Khan dissolved PTI's organisational structure, and party bodies at all levels were subsequently appointed by Khan and his associates rather than elected.[60] Wajihuddin resigned from PTI in September 2016.[63]
In June 2016, PTI suspended the basic membership ofMufti Abdul Qawi after a controversy erupted overselfies and videos he took with the modelQandeel Baloch.[64]
In late 2016, PTI dissolved its organisational structure inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa and postponed intra-party elections in the province. To manage party affairs on an interim basis, PTI divided Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into four regions and appointed interim regional heads. Provincial Minister for Public Health EngineeringShah Farman was assigned to thePeshawar zone, Minister for RevenueAli Amin Gandapur to the southern zone, Minister for TourismMehmood Khan to theMalakand zone, andZar Gul Khan to theHazara region.[65]
Following thePanama Papers leak, PTI filed a petition in the Supreme Court in late 2016, seeking an investigation into corruption allegations against theSharif family.[66] The court disqualified Sharif from holding public office, after which he resigned as prime minister.[67]
In July 2017,Naz Baloch left PTI for the PPP, citing the marginalisation of women and youth. In August 2017, PTI Member of the National AssemblyAyesha Gulalai accused Khan and his close associates of disrespecting women and party workers.[60]
According to its constitution, PTI was required to hold intra-party elections by March 2017. In May 2017,Imran Khan announced that the elections would be held on 11 June 2017 under the newly appointed election commissioner,Azam Swati. The announcement followed directives from theElection Commission of Pakistan instructing provincial authorities not to allot PTI its electoral symbol, the "cricket bat", in by-elections due to the party's failure to hold the polls.[68]
During the 2017 intra-party elections, 256,957 of approximately 2.7 million registered party workers cast their votes over a two-day polling process,[69] representing a turnout of 10.4 percent.[60]
Imran Khan was re-elected as chairman. The following individuals were elected to other key party offices:[69]
In the run-up to the2018 Pakistani general election PTI was accused of facilitating the judicial disqualification of Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif and of siding with the judiciary andmilitary establishment against media organisations critical of military influence. In 2018,Fauzia Kasuri published an opinion article criticising PTI's departure from its original ideology, accusing the party of fostering a cult of personality, mobilising its youth against internal dissent, and warning of growing influence by unseen power brokers; the article marked her departure after nearly two decades of association with the party.[70]
In May 2018, PTI announced a100-day agenda to be implemented if the party was elected to power. The agenda outlined commitments including the merger of theFederally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) intoKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, the creation of a new province in Southern Punjab, a political reconciliation process in Balochistan, and measures to improve law and order and civic conditions inKarachi. It also focused on reforms in governance, economic growth, agriculture, social services, and national security.[71] PTI campaigned on a populist and anti-corruption platform. The election was widely seen as a contest between PTI and thePakistan Muslim League (N).[72] The party's campaign prominently featured the sloganNaya Pakistan (New Pakistan), as outlined in itsmanifesto.[73] However, while promoting the idea of a "New Pakistan", PTI relied electorally on alliances with established power centres, including right-wing religious parties, electables, business interests, and the military establishment.[74]
The party won 116 of the 270 directly contested National Assembly seats,[72] emerging as the largest party in Parliament,[75] and its total seat count rose to 125 after nine independent MNAs-elect joined PTI. Following the allocation of 28 reserved seats for women and five for minorities, PTI's strength in the 342-member National Assembly reached 158 seats,[76] increasing its overall representation from 31 seats in 2013 to 158 seats in 2018.[74] PTI was able to lead a coalition government, marking its first successful bid for power at the federal level.[75] Following the election, opposition parties, particularly the PML-N, alleged vote rigging and electoral irregularities,[72] arguing that PTI benefited from an army-engineered lack of a level playing field.[74] PTI nominatedImran Khan as its candidate for prime minister.[77] After forming government, a significant portion of PTI's cabinet consisted of former ministers from the PML-Q and PPP.[74] The PTI government launched an austerity drive soon after coming to power in an effort to address Pakistan's financial difficulties.[78]
In 2019,Buzdar provincial government saw the resignations of Senior MinisterAleem Khan and MinisterSibtain Khan after both were arrested by theNational Accountability Bureau (NAB) on corruption-related charges.[79][80] In December 2019, PTI suspended the basic party membership ofHamid Khan and issued him a show cause notice for "defaming and maligning" the party.[81] Senior PTI ministers in theMahmood Khan provincial government,Atif Khan,Shakeel Ahmad andShahram Khan Tarakai, were removed from the cabinet in January 2020 amid allegations that they were attempting to form a forward bloc and undermine Chief MinisterMahmood Khan, a move approved by Prime Minister Khan.[82]
In February 2021, a show-cause notice was issued to party memberLiaquat Ali Jatoi after he made allegations ofcorruption against the party leadership regarding the allocation ofSenate election tickets.[83] In March 2021,Aslam Abro andShahar Yar Khan Shar were expelled from the party for violating the party's instructions during the Senate polls, and their basic party memberships were subsequently cancelled.[84] It was reported that both had accused the party leadership and voted against the party's candidates for Senate seats in Sindh.[85]
On 22 May 2022, PTI chairmanImran Khan announced that his party would launcha long march towardsIslamabad starting on 25 May 2022.[86] Police conducted raids on the residences of PTI leaders and workers across the country and arrested at least 150 party members.[87]
In October 2022,Faisal Vawda's party membership was terminated over his contentious press conference.[88]
In February 2023,Parvez Elahi joined PTI along with ten formerMPAs of thePakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML (Q)). On 7 March 2023, Elahi was appointed as the President of PTI.[89] On 19 March 2023,Ijaz-ul-Haq, the leader of thePakistan Muslim League (Z), announced that he had joined the PTI.[90]
On 9 May 2023, after the arrest ofImran Khan, the leader of the PTI, from theIslamabad High Court grounds, nationwide demonstrations by PTI supporters turned into violentriots. PTI workers and members caused incidents of vandalism, looting, and arson, resulting in Rs. 1.98 billion in damages to government and military facilities.[91]Punjab Police, using geo-fencing reports, alleged that Imran Khan and key PTI leaders coordinated efforts to incite attacks on the residence of the Lahore corps commander and other sensitive locations. Police reported over 400 calls made by PTI leaders, including Khan, instructing rioters to target these areas. Inspector General of Police Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar confirmed the use of geo-fencing to trace these communications, naming Khan as a prime suspect in orchestrating the attacks. Other PTI leaders involved includedHammad Azhar,Yasmin Rashid,Mehmood-ur-Rasheed,Ejaz Chaudhary,Mian Aslam Iqbal, andMurad Raas, all of whom were reportedly in contact with the rioters and issued specific instructions for the attacks,[92] while PTI has denied these claims and alleged that government agencies were behind the riots.[93] Furthermore, PTI has alleged that the May 9 riots were a “false flag operation” designed by thePakistan Armed Forces andThe Establishment to destroy and crackdown on the party as well as to arbitrarily arrest party leadership.[94][95][96]
A detailed order fromAnti-Terrorism Court Judge Khalid Arshad implicated PTI's founder, Imran Khan, in orchestrating attacks on military installations, government properties, and police officials. The order revealed that Khan had instructed PTI leaders to create chaos and exert pressure for his release if arrested, as testified by two prosecution witnesses. The court order described a meeting held on 7 May 2023, where Khan allegedly directed PTI leaders to prepare for potential unrest on May 9, should he be detained. He purportedly warned through a video message of a scenario akin toSri Lanka's unrest; if he were to be arrested, encouraging party workers to engage in what he termed a "realjihad for real freedom." The prosecution suggested that Khan orchestrated acriminal conspiracy, rallying top PTI leadership to incite actions that culminated in theattack and arson of the Jinnah House (Corp Commander House, Lahore), aiming to intimidate the government.[97][98][99]
After the riots, a crackdown was initiated bygovernment of Shehbaz Sharif against PTI leaders and workers, with thousands arrested.[100][101][102] PTI revealed evidence suggesting that PTI workers and party members were harassed, and unlawfully arrested.[103][104] PTI leaders were forced to quit party/party positions in televised press conferences.[105] Businesses of PTI leaders who did not quit the party were sealed.[106][107][108] A crackdown was also initiated on vocal women supporters of PTI - the most prominent of which was Khadija Shah, a businesswoman and granddaughter of former Pakistani Army Chief,Asif Nawaz Janjua.[109][110]
From May 2023 to August 2023,[111][112] PTI faced a wave of resignations,[111] as well as terminations and expulsions resulting from internal disciplinary actions.[112][113][114]
In July 2023, PTI terminated the basic membership of twenty-two former lawmakers and party members fromKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, including formerChief Minister of Khyber PakhtunkhwaMahmood Khan.[113]
On 2 August 2023, PTI terminated basic party membership of twenty-two party leaders from South Punjab due to party policy violations, including its formerChief Minister of Punjab,Usman Buzdar.[114]
On 8 August 2023,Dewan Sachanand was expelled from the PTI for violating party discipline when he voted forRana Ansar, a member of theMuttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P), to become the Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly.[115]
Details of other notable PTI leaders who exited the party through resignation, termination, or expulsion during this period:
| Name | Date membership ended | Mode | Stated cause | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hisham Inamullah Khan | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [111] |
| Usman Khan Tarakai | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [116] |
| Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [117] |
| Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [118] |
| Aftab Siddiqui | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [119] |
| Dost Muhammad Mazari | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [120] |
| Faiz Ullah Kamoka | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [121] |
| Mahmood Moulvi | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [122] |
| Shireen Mazari | May 2023 | Resigned | Resigned following the May 9 violence | [123] |
| Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Muhammad Iqbal Wazir | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Muhib Ullah Khan | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal Orakzai | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Aghaz Ikramullah Gandapur | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Ahmed Hussain Shah | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Ehtesham Javed Akber Khan | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Ibrahim Khattak | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Muhammad Deedar | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Shafiq Afridi | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Mufti Ubaid ur Rahman | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Saleh Muhammad Khan | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Zia Ullah Khan Bangash | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Zahoor Shakir | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Wilson Wazir | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Iqbal Mian | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Shah Faisal Khan | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Shaukat Ali Yousafzai | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Sher Akbar Khan | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Nadeem Khayal | July 2023 | Terminated | Party policy violations | [113] |
| Sardar Muhammad Khan Laghari | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Sabeen Gul Khan | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Khusro Bakhtiar | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Mian Shafi Muhammad | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Syed Muhammad Asghar Shah | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Mian Tariq Abdullah | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Muhammad Akhtar Malik | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Muhammad Afzal Chaudhry | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Ehsan-ul-Haque Chaudhry | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Javed Akhtar Ansari | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Muhammad Saleem Akhtar | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Muhammad Zaheer ud Din Khan Alizai | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Muhammad Farooq Azam Malik | August 2023 | Terminated | Violation of party policy | [114] |
| Raja Riaz | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Noor Alam Khan | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Ramesh Kumar Vankwani | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Nuzhat Pathan | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Wajiha Qamar | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan Mazari | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Malik Nawab Sher Waseer | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Syed Basit Sultan Bukhari | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Abdul Ghaffar Wattoo | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Sardar Aamir Talal Khan Gopang | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
| Malik Ahmed Hussain Dehar | August 2023 | Expelled | Violation of party policy | [112] |
AfterArrest of Imran Khan, the PTI's leadership structure was significantly constrained ahead of the2024 Pakistani general election, as Khan and vice chairmanShah Mahmood Qureshi were imprisoned. To meet the Election Commission's requirements and enable the party's participation in the elections,Gohar Ali Khan was elected unopposed as PTI chairman. Gohar described his appointment as temporary and said that he would step down once Imran Khan's conviction was overturned.[24]Omar Ayub Khan was nominated by Imran Khan as the party's candidate for prime minister.[124]
On 19 February 2024, PTI announced an alliance with theSunni Ittehad Council (SIC) andMajlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM).[125] The alliance with SIC was aimed at enabling the PTI to claim its share of reserved seats in the national, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.[126]
In December 2024,Salman Ahmad, a long-term member of the party, was expelled after publicly criticisingBushra Bibi, including describing her as "corrupt and greedy".[127]
In February 2025, Imran Khan ordered the expulsion of lawmakerSher Afzal Marwat for repeated breaches of party discipline.[128] At a PTI rally, Marwat delivered a cryptic speech suggesting that "bad people" are useful in "bad times" while "good people" remain silent, and implied that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief ministerAli Amin Gandapur would represent people like himself. These remarks prompted internal complaints and led to the revocation of his basic membership.[129] Previously, he was issued a show-cause notice for his comments againstSalman Akram Raja.[128]
PTI aimed to transform Pakistan into an Islamic state modelled onRiyasat-e-Madinah (State of Madina), described as an Islamic version of a welfare state intended to create a more equal society. According to the PTI's policy as described in 2018, the party planned to develop poverty reduction programmes, promote diverse livelihood options, improve the healthcare system, and strengthen educational system reforms.[130]
The PTI proposed civilian control ofPakistan's military. TheInter-Services Intelligence service would report directly to thePrime Minister of Pakistan, and the defence budget would be audited by the government. Imran Khan also pledged to resign should any terrorism take place from Pakistani soil following these reforms.[131][132][133] PTI organised a protest againstdrone attacks in Pakistan on 23 November 2013 atPeshawar, where it called on the federal government to force an end to U.S.CIA drone attacks and to blockNATO supplies through the country to Afghanistan. "We will put pressure on America, and our protest will continue if drone attacks are not stopped." The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the protest that also temporarily closed a route leading to one of two border crossings used for the shipments.[134]
The PTI also raised issue of religious tolerance and greater representation for minorities.[135] PTI promised to crack down on police brutality, restructure the civil service, reform the electoral system, allow for a truly independent judiciary, decentralise state power, and enforce laws which extend personal liberty.[15][136] On 20 February 2013 PTI launched[137] its 'Education Policy'[138] with plans to introduce a uniform education system with one curriculum in three languages for Urdu, English and regional languages for entire Pakistan in primary schools.[139] The PTI advocated the establishment ofSouth Punjab andGilgit Baltistan as formal provinces of Pakistan.[140][141]
In the 2018 election, Imran Khan promises to bring a "Naya Pakistan" (new Pakistan).[142] Following its rise to national government in Pakistan, the PTI backed off from certain commitments in its manifesto what was criticised by its opponents asU-turns.[143]Dawn has found that the progress on some promises is still stuck in its initial stages or has been marred with delays.[144]
The PTI hopes to have a relationship with the US that would be based on "self-dignity and respect"[145] and promised to stop allforeign aid to Pakistan.[132] Imran Khan, the leader of PTI claimed "having relations with US, Russia and China is in Pakistan's interest" and Pakistan's "future is tied up with Russia".[146][147] The PTI also promised to make theKashmir issue a top priority and would try and solve the issue permanently so that Pakistan no longer has any border or territorial disputes with any of its neighbours.[148]
The National Council serves as the governing body of the PTI. Its members include office bearers of provincial organizations, presidents of regional and district organizations, and five members nominated by various sectors such as women, youth, students, labour, farmers, minorities, lawyers, and overseas organizations. Additionally, advisors nominated by the chairman are part of the council. The National Council is responsible for electing central office-bearers.[15]
In March 2012,[149] PTI announced plans to conduct US-style intra-party elections, aiming to introduce local caucuses on district levels throughout the country.[150] As part of this process, aspiring candidates would engage in debates and undergo primaries to secure a party ticket for contesting Provincial Assembly or National Assembly seats. The elections commenced in October 2012 and concluded on 23 March 2013, culminating in the election of the National Council after an extensive electoral process involving over four million registered members.[151] With these elections, PTI became the first political party in Pakistan to conduct the largest intra-party election based on the general electoral base. On 2 December 2023, PTI held new intra-party elections,[152] which were invalidated byElection Commission of Pakistan. The party conducted another intra-party election on 3 March 2024.[153]
| Office | Incumbent | Term began |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Gohar Ali Khan | 3 March 2024 |
| Vice Chairman | Shah Mahmood Qureshi | 3 December 2011 |
| President | Parvez Elahi | 7 March 2023 |
| Senior Vice President | Vacant[b] | |
| Senior Vice President | ||
| Senior Vice President | ||
| Senior Vice President | ||
| Secretary General | Salman Akram Raja | 7 September 2024 |
| Central Information Secretary | Sheikh Waqas Akram[154] | 26 September 2024 |
Most of PTI's central leadership was elected. Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were elected on 20 March 2013.[155] The Secretary information, Secretary Finance, Secretary Social Media, Secretary Political Training, and Secretary Policy Planning are appointed by the chairman and confirmed by the CEC.[156]
| Designation | Name | Election Date |
|---|---|---|
| President of Punjab | Hammad Azhar[157] | 16 December 2023 |
| General Secretary of Punjab | 4 June 2022 | |
| President of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Junaid Akbar | 25 January 2025 |
| General Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Ali Asghar Khan | 3 March 2024 |
| President of Sindh | Haleem Adil Sheikh | 3 March 2024 |
| General Secretary of Sindh | Ali Palh | 3 March 2024 |
| President of Balochistan | Dawood Shah Kakar | 3 March 2024 |
| General Secretary of Balochistan |
In June 2014, a Central Tarbiyati Council was established, which is responsible for training party activists on ideology, election campaigns, and other organizational matters.[15]
| Designation | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| President | Kanwal Shauzab | [158] |
| Senior Vice President | Vacant[b] | |
| Vice President of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | ||
| Vice President of Balochistan | ||
| Vice President of Sindh | ||
| Vice President of Punjab | ||
| President of Central Punjab | Shahnaz Tariq | |
| General Secretary | Rubina Shaheen |
TheInsaf Student Federation (ISF) serves as the official student wing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.[159]
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf established its youth wing aimed at addressing the concerns and challenges faced by individuals under the age of 40.[151]
Insaf Research Wing (IRW) was established to conduct research aimed at finding solutions to issues in Pakistan. IRW was founded in 2009[160] for addressing issues within its area of expertise, covering socio-political, information technology, economics, energy, healthcare, corruption, foreign affairs, education, and environment sectors. It consists of nine committees.[161]
The IRW has since been replaced by the Insaf Research Team.[162]
 |  |  |  |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 1997 | Imran Khan | 314,820 | 1.61 | 0 / 237 |  | none | Extraparliamentary |
| 2002 | 242,472 | 0.83 | 1 / 342 |  1 | 10th | In opposition | |
| 2008 | Did not contest | ||||||
| 2013 | 7,679,954 | 16.92 | 35 / 342 | 35 | 3rd | In opposition | |
| 2018 | 16,903,702 | 31.92 | 149 / 342 | 114 | 1st | In government (till 11 April 2022) | |
| Opposition (from 11 April 2022) | |||||||
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seates | Position | +/– | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mohsin Aziz | - | 9 / 104 | 4th | 9 | In Opposition |
| 2018 | Azam Khan Swati Shibli Faraz Shahzad Waseem | - | 15 / 104 | 3rd | 6 | In Opposition |
| 2021 | Shahzad Waseem | – | 26 / 100 | 1st | 9 | In Government |
| 2024 | Shibli Faraz | – | 17 / 96 | 3rd |  10 | Opposition |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2013 | Ghulam Sarwar Khan | 4,951,216 | 17.76 | 30 / 371 | 30 | 2nd | PML (N)majority |
| 2018 | Sardar Usman Buzdar | 11,141,139 | 33.65 | 179 / 371 | 149 | 1st | PTIcoalition (till 30 April 2022) |
| PML (N)coalition (from 30 April 2022 till 27 July 2022) | |||||||
| PTIcoalition (from 27 July 2022) | |||||||
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2013 | Pervez Khattak | 1,039,719 | 19.31 | 61 / 124 | 61 | 1st | PTIcoalition |
| 2018 +2019(ex-FATA Elections) | Mahmood Khan | 2,314,387 | 35.32 | 94 / 145 | 33 | 1st | PTImajority |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2013 | Khurrum Sher Zaman | 609,128 | 6.08% | 4 / 168 | 4 | 4th | PPPmajority |
| 2018 | Firdous Naqvi Haleem Adil Sheikh | 1,451,132 | 14.47% | 30 / 168 | 26 | 2nd | PPPmajority |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2018 | Yar Muhammad Rind | 109,488 | 6.21 | 7 / 65 | 7 | 4th | BAPcoalition |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2015 | Raja Jahanzeb | 42,101 | 11.11% | 1 / 33 | 1 | 3rd | PML (N) Majority |
| 2020 | Khalid Khurshid | – | – | 22 / 33 | 21 | 1st | PTI Majority |
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Position | Resulting government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | ± | ||||
| 2016 | Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry | 211,827 | 12.7% | 2 / 49 | 2 | 4th | PML (N) Majority |
| 2021 | Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi | 613,590 | 32.5% | 32 / 53 | 24 | 1st | PTI Majority |
Less than a year after its establishment, PTI participated in the1997 general elections. Imran Khan stood in seven constituencies across Pakistan but did not secure a majority in any.[164]
During the2002 general elections, party chairman Imran Khan won one seat from Mianwali. PTI garnered 0.8% of the popular vote.[165]
PTI openly boycotted thePakistani general election on 18 February 2008 because it believed that the election was fraudulent and fraught with irregularities.[166][167]
On 21 April 2013, Khan, the chairman of PTI, launched his campaign for the2013 elections fromLahore, where he addressed supporters atThe Mall, Lahore followed by prayers at theData Durbar Complex.[168] This was followed by large rallies inKarak andDera Ismail Khan.[169] He also announced that he would pull Pakistan out of the US-ledwar on terror and bring peace in the Pashtun tribal belt.[170] On 22 April 2013, Khan addressed different public meetings inMalakand,Lower Dir District andUpper Dir District, where he announced that PTI would introduce a uniform education system in which the children of rich and poor would have equal opportunities.[171]
On the same day, he spoke at a rally inRawalpindi'sConstituency NA-56, accompanied byShaikh Rasheed Ahmad.[172] On 23 April 2013, Khan addressed large rallies inRenala Khurd,Okara, and other parts ofSahiwal Division. He challengedPML-N PresidentNawaz Sharif to a live debate, a challenge which PML-N was quick to decline.[173] On 24 April, Khan addressed rallies inNankana Sahib District,Sheikhupura, andPattoki, where he announced that once in power, noparliamentarian would receive development funds as they are misused for achieving political gains.[174]
On 25 April 2013, Khan addressed political gatherings inSouth Punjab, including inPakpattan,Lodhran, andVehari.[175][176] On the following day, Khan continued his mass campaign in South Punjab. He addressed rallies atJalalpur Pirwala,Muzaffargarh,Mian Channu,Kabirwala, andKhanewal. He promised to end the system oftyranny and announced that once in power, he would enact laws allowing every village or town to elect its own Station House Officer, believing it would prevent corruption andpolice brutality. He also promised to eliminate the post ofPatwari and establish a computerised and professional land record system.[177][178]
Khan concluded his South Punjab campaign by addressing rallies atBahawalpur,Khanpur,Sadiqabad,Rahim Yar Khan, andRajanpur on 27 April. During the campaign, he collectively visited over 25 towns and cities, addressing dozens of rallies and corner meetings. He promised to hold accountable the killers behind theassassination of Benazir Bhutto and stated that the local government system is important for the prosperity of Pakistan.[179] On 28 April, Khan moved to central Punjab where he addressed large rallies inMandi Bahauddin,Hafizabad, andSargodha, promising to bring justice and equality to Pakistan.[180]
On 29 April 2013, Khan addressed rallies atMurree,Talagang,Chakwal,Taxila, andAttock.[181] On 30 April, Khan visited his hometown ofMianwali, where he addressed several rallies, criticizing the Bhuttos and Sharifs. He stated, 'You can't lead a revolution from behind bulletproof glass,' and claimed that he had conquered the fear of dying 17 years ago.[182] On 1 and 2 March, Khan addressed gatherings inSibi,Loralai,Zafarwal,Pasrur,Narowal,Jacobabad, and also led a car rally inRawalpindi.[183][184] On 3 May, Khan continued his campaign atBattagram,Mansehra,Torghar District,Abbottabad, andHaripur, followed by rallies atBuner District,Swabi,Charsadda,Mardan,Nowshera, andPeshawar on 4th, promising to abandon the war on terror.[185][186][187]
Pakistan's2013 elections took place on 11 May 2013 across the country. The elections resulted in a clear majority for thePakistan Muslim League (N), a strong rival of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, although PTI managed to surpass thePakistan Peoples Party as the main opposition to PML-N's candidates in the Punjab Province. PTI's popularity propelled 20 representatives to the Punjab Assembly.[188][189] PTI also emerged as the second-largest party inKarachi.[190]
According to unofficial results announced by Pakistani media and theElection Commission of Pakistan, Imran Khan, Chairman of PTI, won three of the four constituencies he contested, securing victories inConstituency NA-1,Constituency NA-56, andConstituency NA-71.[191] PTI won 31 directly elected parliamentary seats, marking a significant increase from the 2002 elections. Nationally, PTI became the third-largest party and the largest inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the second-largest inPunjab.[192] In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI defeated all mainstream political parties across the province with mostly new candidates. It secured every seat inPeshawar,Nowshera, andMardan district. It is anticipated that PTI will lead acoalition government in the province. However, PTI failed to secure a majority in Punjab and made limited gains inSindh orBaluchistan. PTI obtained 34 out of 99 seats in theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.[193]
Apart fromKarachi,Sindh was largely overlooked by PTI during much of its election campaign, and this is reflected in the results. The party failed to field candidates in 19 out of Interior Sindh's 40 constituencies. Where it did field candidates, it struggled to surpass the 5% vote benchmark in 18 constituencies. In most of these constituencies, the number of votes received was in the hundreds. PTI's only significant showing in interior Sindh was in the constituencies ofNA-228Umerkot andNA-230Tharparkar, where the party's vice president,Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has a considerable following through his spiritual Ghousia Jamaat.[194]
In the northwestern province ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI formed a governing coalition with theJamaat-e-Islami andQaumi Watan parties in 2013. On 13 May 2013,Parvez Khattak was appointed as the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[195] The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Development Advisory Committee includesAsad Umar,Jehangir Khan Tareen, Ali Asghar Khan, Khalid Mehsud, andRustam Shah Mohmand.[196][197][198]
| Electoral performance in theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa local elections (district seats) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Election | Seats | Position | |
| # | ± | ||
| 2015[199] | 395 / 1,484 | | 1st |
Pakistan's2018 elections took place on 25 July 2018 nationwide. The elections saw the PTI secure a majority of seats in the National Assembly with 116 seats won. Adding 28 women and 5 Minority seats, the total tally reached 149.[200] With PTI securing the largest seat share and vote share, it formeda government at the centre in alliance withMuttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P),Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML (Q)),Balochistan Awami Party (BAP),Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M),Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA),Awami Muslim League (Pakistan) (AML), andJamhoori Wattan Party (JWP).[201] Additionally, PTI secured government inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa with 78 seats,Punjab with 175 seats, and formed an alliance government inBalochistan. Following the elections,Imran Khan was elected as Prime Minister, receiving 176 votes againstShehbaz Sharif's 96 votes. PTI also succeeded in electing its Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly,Asad Qaiser andQasim Suri respectively. On 4 September 2018,Arif Alvi was elected as the 13thPresident of Pakistan.[202] PTI nominatedUsman Buzdar as Chief Minister of Punjab,[203]Mahmood Khan as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,[204] andJam Kamal Khan as Chief Minister of Balochistan.[205] The party also appointed governors:Chaudhry Sarwar as Governor of Punjab,Imran Ismail as Governor of Sindh,[206] andShah Farman as Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[207] Prime Minister Imran Khan formed his cabinet, with key positions like Minister of Finance entrusted toAsad Umar and Minister of Foreign Affairs toShah Mehmood Qureshi.[208]
Several senior PTI leaders were imprisoned in the run-up to the elections in connection with theMay 9 riots, on allegations of inciting violence and participating in attacks on government and military installations, including police stations and theCorps Commander House, Lahore, also known as Jinnah House.[209] PTI was denied its election symbol after the Election Commission ruled that the party had failed to conduct valid intra-party elections under theElection Act, 2017, a decision later upheld by the Supreme Court in thePTI intra-party elections case.[210]
In January 2024, PTI, theHuman Rights Commission of Pakistan, and the election watchdogFree and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) raised concerns about pre-poll irregularities.[211] PTI alleged that a crackdown and restrictive measures severely hindered its ability to campaign for the elections.[212] PTI claimed that it had emerged as the single largest party and alleged that results in several constituencies were manipulated, asserting thatForm 47 results for 18 National Assembly seats were falsely changed by returning officers, resulting in reduced vote counts for PTI-backed candidates.[213] PTI-affiliated candidateYasmin Rashid claimed that she defeated three-time former Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif inNA-130 Lahore-XIV and alleged that the election results in the constituency were manipulated.[214] PTI claimed that its backed candidates would have won as many as 180 National Assembly seats in the absence of alleged electoral manipulation, compared with the 93 seats won by PTI-backed candidates.[215] Rehana Dar, a PTI-backed independent candidate, claimed thatKhawaja Asif lost the election inNA-71 Sialkot-II according toForm 45, but was declared the winner in Form 47, and challenged the result in court.[216]
| Provincial assembly | Seats | Status | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In government | Single largest party | Majority/coalition | ||
| AJK Legislative Assembly | 19 / 53 | No | Yes | Opposition |
| Provincial Assembly of Balochistan | 0 / 65 | N/a | N/a | No presence |
| Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly | 22 / 33 | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 58 / 145 | Yes | Yes | Majority |
| Provincial Assembly of Punjab | 29 / 371 | No | No | Opposition |
| Provincial Assembly of Sindh | 6 / 168 | No | No | In Opposition |
In the northwestern province ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI has ruled with amajority government three times. PTI ruled from 2013 to 2018 under thePervez Khattak administration, from 2018 to 2023 under Chief MinisterMahmood Khan and from 2024 to the present under theGandapur ministry.[217]
In the2024 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election, Independent candidates allied with PTI won 86 seats.[218] Subsequently,Ali Amin Gandapur was elected asChief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on PTI's behalf. Out of these 86 seats, 58 are officially recognized as PTI members by theSupreme Court of Pakistan andElection Commission of Pakistan,[219] while the remaining seats are officially Independents.[218]
In Pakistan’s most populous province,Punjab, PTI has served as the largest opposition party twice and the ruling majority party once. From 2013 to 2018, PTI served as the largest opposition party with 30 seats and had PTI leaderMehmood-ur-Rasheed as opposition leader.[220] From 2018 to 2022 PTI served as the largest and ruling party in Punjab, withUsman Buzdar asChief Minister of Punjab. From 2024 to the present PTI is serving as the opposition party in the Punjab Assembly.
In the2024 Punjab provincial election, Independent candidates allied with PTI won the second-most seats, though the party claims it won the first-most seats without rigging.[221] Out of this, 29 have been recognized as PTI members by theSupreme Court of Pakistan andElection Commission of Pakistan,[219] while the remaining seats are officially recognized as members of theSunni Ittehad Council. PTI nominatedMian Aslam Iqbal for Opposition Leader but has been replaced byMalik Ahmad Khan Bhachar temporarily due to threats of an arrest to Iqbal.[222]
In the southern province ofSindh, PTI has been the largest opposition party once, from 2018 to 2022, withFirdous Shamim Naqvi andHaleem Adil Sheikh as Leader of the Opposition in theProvincial Assembly of Sindh.[223][224] PTI is currently serving as an opposition party in Sindh since 2024 after PTI-backed members won 10 seats. Out of these, 6 are recognized as PTI and 4 are recognized as members of theSunni Ittehad Council.[225] PTI has alleged that 38 Sindh Assembly seats, many of which are inKarachi were rigged in the2024 Sindh provincial election against it, in favor ofMQM-P andPPP.[226]
PTI has been found to win most of its seats inKarachi.[227] It also holds a political alliance with theGrand Democratic Alliance (GDA) against PPP.[228][229]
Imran Khan was arrested due to the case, and Pakistani court rejected a petition by PTI.[230]
PTI launched its first dharna on 14 August 2014. The party was involved in laying siege and paralyzing the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, to stop the Government from functioning. PTI was charged with targeting Pakistan Television and parliament, as well as law enforcement.[231][232][233] The party founder, Imran Khan, burned his utility bills to encourage participants to join his protest against rising electricity prices.[234]
PTI's former leader and head of the party's election tribunal investigated corruption and fraud, as well as internal election rigging within PTI. His tribunal expelled Secretary-General Jahangir Tareen, PTI's KPK Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, and senior leader Nadir Laghari for manipulating intra-party polls. It also reported fraud in party funds.[235][236][237] Later, Wajihuddin was expelled from the party by Imran Khan.[238]
PTI supporters have been reported to have attacked media personnel during their protest demonstrations.[239] Several female journalists have reported harassment by party workers.[240][241] The harassment of women has also been reported at PTI's gatherings.[242][243]
During PTI's public protests,Geo News DSNGs had to remove their stickers to escape vandalism by party workers.[244][245][246] PTI workers also attacked the Geo News Islamabad office.[247]
PTI's former president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, has alleged that Imran Khan was conspiring with theChief Justice of Pakistan,Nasirul Mulk. to dissolve the government of Nawaz Sharif.[248]
Following the arrest of Imran Khan on 9 May 2023, the supporters and workers of PTI allegedly targetedPakistan Army's installations.[249] The protesters broke into the regional commander's house inLahore and burned the building. They also attempted to enterGHQ's gate inRawalpindi. InPeshawar, the building ofRadio Pakistan was set on fire by the protesters, who also shouted slogans against the army and military officials. However, Imran Khan and his party denied their involvement in the violence and accused secret agencies of framing the party for anti-army violence.[250][251][252]
Reportedly, thousands of PTI workers have been arrested due to their alleged involvement in violent attacks on government institutions across the country after 9 May.[253][254]
In response to the attacks, the Pakistan Army called 9 May a dark chapter in the country's history and claimed that PTI "has done what enemies could not do in 75 years."[255] Meanwhile, PTI alleges that the incidents of 9 May were afalse flag operation designed by thePakistani establishment to disintegrate PTI and frame Imran Khan.[256]
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