In a surprising development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has nominated Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as his candidate for the chairman post in the upcoming intra-party polls. Imran Khan has held this role since the party’s inception over two decades ago.
PTI Senior Vice-President Sher Afzal Marwat confirmed Imran Khan’s decision, stating that the PTI Core Committee has formally approved conducting the intra-party polls within the 20-day timeframe designated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
This unexpected turn of events adds an intriguing twist to the political landscape, especially amid speculations of a “minus-Imran” formula gaining traction, fueled by his recent legal troubles.
Earlier in the day, confusion arose when lawyers who met Imran Khan claimed he had decided to withdraw from the chairman race in the intra-party polls. However, the party spokesperson swiftly dismissed this claim, asserting that no conclusive decision had been reached.
During the afternoon, a group of lawyers, including Senator Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar, Umair Niazi, and Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, met Imran Khan at Adiala Jail. They later informed the media that it was Imran Khan himself who had decided not to contest for the position of party chairman, a statement that added to the day’s political drama.
Who is Barrister Gohar Ali Khan?
Barrister Gohar Khan, originally from the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He graduated in law from Wolverhampton University, UK, and holds an LL.M from the Washington School of Law, USA.
Before joining the PTI, he was associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan contested the 2008 general elections from his hometown district, Buner NA-28 (currently NA-09), on the Pakistan People’s Party ticket. However, he lost that election by around two thousand votes, securing the third position.
He has emerged as a formidable candidate for the PTI in the race for the National Assembly seat NA-09 in the upcoming general elections with the recent inclusion of former PTI MNA Sher Akbar Khan, who joined PTI-Parliamentarians.
