Web Desk, Islamabad – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has reportedly intervened to block the formation of a proposed “Imran Khan Release Force,” a plan announced by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aimed at securing the release of jailed party founder Imran Khan.
According to party sources, the intervention was made directly and through senior PTI leaders after the KP chief minister announced the formation of a dedicated force to campaign for Khan’s release. Barrister Gohar is said to have warned that establishing any group described as a “force,” particularly one requiring members to take an oath for political purposes, could be viewed as unconstitutional and potentially unlawful.
Sources added that Gohar reached out to opposition leaders, including Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas, to build political consensus within the broader opposition alliance against the proposed move.
The matter was also reportedly discussed in a recent political committee meeting, where participants were advised not to comment publicly, signaling efforts by party leadership to contain internal divisions.
Political circles have taken the proposal seriously, particularly after reports that members of the proposed force were initially expected to take an oath on February 22. However, the step was deferred following internal objections. There are indications that the oath-taking could be postponed until after Ramadan.
Senior PTI figures privately acknowledge that forming a semi-organizational “force” could expose the party to legal scrutiny and allegations of promoting confrontation. Barrister Gohar has reportedly suggested forming legal political committees at provincial, regional and district levels instead — a strategy commonly adopted in past political movements to avoid constitutional complications.
The episode underscores growing strategic differences within PTI at a time when the party faces a complex political environment. While some leaders advocate a more assertive approach, others are pushing for a cautious and legally defensible path forward.
