'Imran the only PTI chairman,' Khosa refutes reports of new nomination

Ex-premier’s lawyer says 'no possibility of a minus-Imran formula'

ISLAMABAD:

As uncertainty continued over the nomination of a new chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sardar Latif Khosa rubbished reports on Wednesday of any person other than former prime minister Imran Khan being the party's chairman.

The ex-premier’s lawyer maintained that there was no possibility of a ‘minus-Imran’ formula. “All reports regarding this are false,” he stated.

“There has neither been a decision on choosing a new chairman, nor will there be one,” Khosa asserted, adding that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision on intra-party elections will be challenged in the high court.

The senior lawyer's remarks came as he addressed the media outside Adiala jail following the hearing of the £190 million settlement case.

Chairman or not?

The PTI plunged into a fresh controversy as its senior leader, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, claimed a day earlier that Imran will not contest the upcoming intra-party polls for the position of party chairman.

Marwat asserted that Imran had decided to abstain from the elections due to legal constraints related to the Toshakhana case, even suggesting the decision was made with consensus. However, the party swiftly issued a statement via its official social media account, strongly denying the speculations and claims made by the senior leader.

The party's central information department clarified that discussions on crucial matters, including intra-party elections, were ongoing. It emphasised that no decision had been reached regarding Imran's withdrawal from the election for party chairman or the nomination of another leader in his place. The conflicting narratives raised questions about the internal cohesion of the party.

Read Federation, FIA issued notices in Imran’s bail plea

Undeterred by the party's denial, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat stood by his statement, insisting that decisions were made by the PTI chairman in the presence of key figures like Senator Ali Zafar and Barrister Gohar Umair Niazi. He expressed confusion about the contradiction and urged the media to verify his statements with the individuals present in the meeting.

In a move that took many by surprise, Imran, currently serving time in jail and facing legal battles, was reported to have nominated Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as his candidate for the chairman's post in the intra-party polls.

The announcement followed a day of uncertainty and conflicting statements within the party regarding Imran's participation in the elections.

£190 million settlement case

Khosa informed that the interim bails of Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, had been extended at today's hearing.

Speaking of the case, the PTI chief's counsel stated that the Supreme Court had even 'regulated' the amount in the £190 million settlement case, suggesting that there was nothing to the case.

Lawyer Latif Khosa, asserted that every penny in the £190 million case had been thoroughly scrutinized and found beyond reproach.

He claimed that the Al-Qadir University operated under a trust, categorically refuting any suggestion of salaries being distributed to trustees.

Regarding the cypher case trial, the lawyer stated that leaving the matter of open trial with the jail superintendent constituted contempt of court. He said this decision by the special court judge will also be challenged in the high court.

Speaking on behalf of the PTI chairman, he said that the former premier has dismissed Khawar Maneka's statements as "extremely false and shameful”. The accusations surrounding Bushra Bibi's daughters' marriages were disdainful and baseless, he added.

The senior lawyer said he has been invited to join the PTI, adding that a decision regarding it will be made after thoughtful deliberation with friends and family.