Barrister Gohar Intervenes to Stop ‘Imran Khan Release Force’ Proposal in KP

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, has intervened to stop Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi from proceeding with a controversial plan to establish an “Imran Khan Release Force.”

According to party sources who spoke to The News International, the intervention—made directly and through senior party leaders—came after the KP chief minister announced plans to form a dedicated force aimed at securing the release of jailed party founder Imran Khan.

Sources said Barrister Gohar issued a clear warning that forming any group labeled as a “force,” particularly if members were to take an oath for a political objective, could be deemed unconstitutional and illegal. He reportedly cautioned that such a move might even fall within the ambit of militancy under the law.

It is understood that the PTI chairman also contacted opposition leaders, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, to build political consensus within PTI and the broader opposition alliance against the proposed initiative.

Political circles are taking the proposal seriously. Internal sources revealed that the KP chief minister had initially planned to administer an oath to members of the proposed force on February 22. However, the move was postponed at the last minute following internal objections. Reports suggest the oath-taking may now be considered after Ramadan.

Senior PTI leaders privately acknowledge that the plan has caused concern within the central leadership, as the formation of a semi-organized “force” could expose the party to legal action and allegations of promoting confrontation.

Barrister Gohar is said to have advised that, if mobilization for Imran Khan’s release is necessary, it should be carried out through legal political committees at provincial, regional, and district levels—similar to past political movements—so as to avoid constitutional complications.

The matter was also discussed prominently in a recent political committee meeting, where participants were instructed not to comment publicly, indicating the leadership’s efforts to contain what could become a damaging internal dispute.

The episode highlights growing strategic differences within PTI. At a time when the party faces a complex political environment, some leaders favor aggressive mobilization, while others advocate a cautious and legally defensible approach.

There are also allegations that the idea of forming a release force was suggested by hiding PTI leader Murad Saeed. Sohail Afridi is reportedly considered Murad Saeed’s nominee for the KP chief executive role, and it is said that Imran Khan did not previously know Afridi personally.