SWAT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P) chairman and former chief minister Mahmood Khan has claimed that PTI is currently fragmented into five factions, with each group making unsuccessful attempts to assume leadership.

Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected cabinet of the Insaf Lawyers Forum-Parliamentarians in Gulkada here on Friday, he claimed that he held a complete list detailing how certain individuals secured election victories by providing written guarantees.

Mahmood also shared that he had been offered the opportunity to become a political “hero” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but stated that, being a “hunter” by nature, he preferred to forge his own path. He also addressed the issue of former chief minister Pervez Khattak, asserting that Khattak no longer had any connection with PTI and was free to join any party of his choosing.

Mahmood asks army chief to make efforts for Imran’s release from jail

Mahmood claimed that the current provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had effectively collapsed, with its authority disappearing in 70 per cent of the province. He highlighted the insecurity faced by both the general public and the police force, adding that the federal and provincial governments had failed to maintain law and order, leaving the country grappling with rising inflation and instability.

“At present, only the establishment remains as the institution on which the hopes of the nation rest,” Mahmood said. He also reaffirmed his unwavering respect for PTI chairman Imran Khan, stating that the jailed leader had always been his leader, and would continue to be his leader in the future. “While I have received several signals from various quarters, I will continue my political journey from my own platform until Imran Khan is released from prison,” he said.

The former CM criticised the governance of Ali Amin Gandapur, accusing his government of not only failing to implement any meaningful development plan, but also halting numerous projects worth billions of rupees that had been initiated during his (Mahmood’s) tenure in the province. He confirmed that he had challenged this issue in the high court, expressing his confidence that the court would deliver justice for the people of Swat.

“This country is ours, and we will only be able to live freely once peace and prosperity are restored,” Mahmood said. He also made an appeal to the army chief and the establishment to take steps for the release of Imran Khan, particularly in light of the current political and economic challenges facing the nation.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2025