ISLAMABAD: Amid reports of a rift between the PTI and the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday met the opposition alliance’s leaders, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.

The meeting comes amid reports that TTAP leaders, who are also the opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, respectively, were not being involved in the decision-making process.

It took place at Mr Achakzai’s residence in Islamabad and was also attended by former NA speaker Asad Qaiser and TTAP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.

In a statement shared on X, TTAP spokesperson Hussain Ahmed Yousafzai said: “Upon the directives of PTI founder Imran Khan, CM Afridi had an important meeting with Mehmood Khan Achakzai at his residence.”

Opposition leaders agree to adopt joint strategy to address national issues

Mr Yousafzai added that during the meeting “detailed discussions were held on the health and medical treatment of former prime minister Imran Khan, concerns regarding his access to justice, restrictions on signing legal documents, the upcoming federal budget, the National Finance Commission [NFC] Award, provincial rights, the overall political situation in the country, and politically motivated cases”.

Joint strategy

“The meeting agreed on adopting a joint strategy to address national issues and emphasised the need to further strengthen coordination among opposition parties,” the spokesperson said.

During a public rally in Mardan last week, CM Afridi had reiterated that the PTI founder instructed him to consult Mr Achakzai and Mr Abbas in the decision-making process, adding that he would remain mindful of this.

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram, while criticising Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, said that the party had to “bring back” Mr Achakzai and Mr Abbas as they had become “disheartened”.

It is worth mentioning that both Mr Achakzai and Mr Abbas were nominated by Mr Khan as the opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate. The PTI founder had also instructed his party leadership to consult both of them and mandated them to hold talks with the government.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026