With its founder Imran Khan in prison, the leadership role has become a conundrum for PTI, as it has taken a U-turn and once again nominated Barrister Gohar Ali Khan for the party’s top post.

Gohar was elected as PTI chairman after securing Mr Khan’s backing in the December 2023 intra-party elections, which led the party to being depri­ved of its ‘bat’ symbol by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Last week, the party decided to hold fresh polls on March 3 and named Barrister Ali Zafar as Mr Khan’s nominee for the post of chairman.

Party sources say Zafar has refused to accept the chairmanship. It couldn’t be confirmed through independent sou­rces if Zafar has voluntarily refused or has been stopped by the party from submitting nomination papers.

Read more here.

Opinion

Editorial

Pathways to peace
27 Apr, 2026

Pathways to peace

NEGOTIATIONS to hammer out the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement took nearly two years before a breakthrough was achieved....
Food-insecure nation
27 Apr, 2026

Food-insecure nation

A NEW UN-backed report has listed Pakistan among 10 countries where acute food insecurity is most concentrated. This...
Migration toll
27 Apr, 2026

Migration toll

THE world should not be deceived by a global migration count lower than the highest annual statistics on record —...
Immunity gap
Updated 26 Apr, 2026

Immunity gap

Pakistan’s Big Catch-Up campaign showed progress but also exposed the scale of gaps in routine immunisation.
Danger on repeat
26 Apr, 2026

Danger on repeat

DISASTERS have typically been framed as acts of nature. Of late, they look increasingly like tests of preparedness...
Loose lips
26 Apr, 2026

Loose lips

PAKISTANIS have by now gained something of an international reputation for their gallows humour, but it seems that...