KP CM Afridi meets with TTAP's Achakzai and Abbas amid reports of rift within opposition

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

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

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

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

“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,” Yousafzai added.

“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, Afridi had reiterated that the PTI founder had instructed him to consult Abbas and Achakzai in the decision-making process, saying that he would be mindful of it.

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

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