Sohail Afridi’s Disqualification Would Only Be Due to Loyalty to Imran Khan, Says Junaid Akbar
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President and senior leader Junaid Akbar has issued a strongly worded statement, warning party leaders against what he described as double standards and alleged attempts to sideline loyalists of party founder Imran Khan.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Junaid Akbar claimed that Pakistan would witness the largest gathering in its history on October 8.
He also criticised what he called self-interested elements within the party, saying that leaders who could not follow the narrative and ideology of PTI founder Imran Khan should step aside and give others an opportunity to move forward.
Junaid Akbar urged party workers to closely monitor leaders who were merely fulfilling formalities, identify such individuals and oppose their nomination for party tickets and positions in the future.
ان شاء اللہ 8 اکتوبر کو پاکستان کی تاریخ کا سب سے بڑا اجتماع ہوگا۔ جو قیادت خان صاحب کے بیانیے کے ساتھ نہیں چل سکتی، وہ مہربانی کرکے ایک طرف ہو جائے اور دوسروں کو آگے بڑھنے کا موقع دے۔
پارٹی کے کارکنان ان تمام قیادت پر نظر رکھیں جو صرف خانہ پُری کر رہی ہے، ان کی نشاندہی کریں اور آئندہ کے لیے ان کے ٹکٹوں اور عہدوں کی مخالفت کریں۔پارٹی میں مزید یہ نہیں چلے گا کہ کچھ لوگ جیلوں میں ہوں، کچھ ہر روز ایف آئی آرز اور نااہلیوں کا سامنا صرف خان صاحب سے وفاداری کی وجہ سے کر رہے ہوں، جبکہ کچھ لوگ نہ کارکنان کا بوجھ اٹھائیں اور نہ ہی خان صاحب کے نظریے کا بوجھ اٹھانے کے لیے تیار ہوں۔
سہیل آفریدی صاحب کی نااہلی کی واحد وجہ عمران خان صاحب سے وفاداری ہوگی۔ اب یہ سلسلہ ختم ہونا چاہیے۔ خان کے وفاداروں کے خلاف فیصلے آنے کے بعد سب کو اس سسٹم سے نکلنا ہوگا۔
— Junaid Akbar (@JunaidAkbarMNA) October 5, 2026
“There can be no more double standards in the party,” he said, arguing that some people were spending long periods in jail and facing cases and disqualification proceedings allegedly because of their loyalty to Imran Khan, while some so-called leaders were unwilling to share the burden of workers or carry forward Khan’s political ideology.
Commenting on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Junaid Akbar claimed that the “only reason” for any possible disqualification of Afridi would be his unconditional loyalty to Imran Khan.
He said the practice of targeting loyalists of Imran Khan should come to an end, adding that if unjust decisions were taken against Khan’s supporters, all party leaders would have to withdraw from what he described as a “corrupt system.”
