Barrister Gohar Khan nominated as PTI Chairman

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has picked Barrister Gohar Khan as the party’s chairman for the upcoming intra-party polls.

PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar announced that party Chairman Imran Khan would not be contesting intra-party polls slated to be conducted on later this week on Saturday, December 2.

Speaking to the media outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Islamabad, Zafar said the party chairmanship is temporary, as Imran Khan would return as chairman of the party once his disqualification in the wake of the Toshakhana case is overturned.

“PTI chief had been convicted in the Toshakhana case,” he said, adding that Imran’s Toshakhana sentence has been suspended but a “final decision” had not yet been made.

He further said that the former prime minister has directed the party to hold intra-party polls. “PTI is Imran Khan and Imran Khan is PTI,” he maintained.

Gohar, who has been associated with the party and Imran Khan as a legal advisor, said he was “speechless” after he was named for the coveted post in the party.

Earlier, PTI’s Vice President Sher Afzal Marwat claimed that the ousted prime minister would not contest the intra-party elections. Marwat said that the PTI will get a new chairman following the intra-party elections.

However, Marwat’s claims were turned down by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from its official social media platform X, handle.

The PTI spokesperson said that the party ‘strongly rejects’ the speculations regarding the intra-party elections.

“Imran Khan has not conveyed any decision regarding contesting the polls,” the spokesperson said, adding that the PTI chief has not taken any decision to withdraw from the election or nominate another leader.

PTI is set to conduct intra-party elections this week following the orders of the ECP or it risks losing its ‘bat’ symbol.