Pakistan(National Times)- RAWALPINDI: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has declared himself the patron-in-chief of the former ruling party amid internal infighting, while Barrister Gohar Ali Khan will continue to serve as party chairman, it emerged on Tuesday. The move followed the party’s announcement of a nationwide protest drive to topple the PML-N-led coalition government and reclaim what it called its “stolen mandate”. PTI has yet to announce the date for its proposed protest. Talking to journalists after his meeting with Khan at Central Jail Adiala in Rawalpindi today, PTI Chairman Gohar said: “PTI founder says he himself will lead the protest movement.” Quoting Khan, Gohar said that all the instructions regarding the protest movement will be given to Omar Ayub. He said that the PTI founder had not yet provided any time frame for the protest. “PTI founder says he will be the patron-in-chief of the PTI from today onwards,” the PTI chairman said, adding that all decisions would be made by the PTI founder, just as they were before. Responding to a question, Gohar rejected the rumours about his removal as the PTI chairman. “Everyone knows what the consequences will be if the party does not have a chairman,” he added.

CM Gandapur won’t lead upcoming protest

Talking to the media, the PTI chairman said that the responsibility for the protests had always been assigned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, but this time would be different. “Different individuals will be assigned different responsibilities regarding the protest movement,” he added. To another question, he said that the PTI founder did not express any lack of confidence in the party leadership. Gohar said that he still wanted the issues to be resolved through dialogue, adding that the PTI founder has kept the option of negotiations with the establishment open.