Aliya Hamza
In a significant development within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan—currently incarcerated at Adiala Jail—has handed over full organizational authority for Punjab to senior party leader Aliya Hamza. The decision marks a bold step in PTI’s ongoing restructuring efforts amid legal and political turmoil.
According to reliable sources within the party, the decision was made during a high-level internal meeting held inside Adiala Jail on Tuesday. The session was attended by key PTI leaders, including Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan.
During the meeting, Imran Khan issued explicit instructions for the issuance of a formal notification, granting Aliya Hamza complete control over party affairs in Punjab.
Imran Khan reportedly expressed his unwavering trust in Hamza’s capabilities, authorizing her to make all key decisions related to the party’s structure in the province. “Aliya Hamza is fully authorized to make decisions. If she wants to replace someone or assign a new responsibility, she has my complete support,” Khan was quoted as saying. This delegation of authority includes the power to suspend or reshuffle any party member operating within Punjab.
In addition to strengthening PTI’s leadership in Punjab, Khan also backed the recent appointment of Ehsan Toor by PTI Gilgit-Baltistan President Khalid Khurshid. This endorsement suggests Khan’s continuing influence over the party’s broader organizational affairs despite his incarceration.
Interestingly, sources also revealed that lawyers and senior party figures present at the jail meeting were seen approaching Aliya Hamza to discuss pressing party matters, indicating her growing prominence and central role in steering PTI through turbulent times.
Meanwhile, outside Adiala Jail, tensions escalated as PTI workers staged a protest at a police checkpoint near Gorakhpur. The protest erupted after law enforcement officials allegedly barred the PTI founder’s sisters from visiting him.
The protest led to the brief detention of several individuals, including three of Imran Khan’s sisters and a cousin.
The detained women were initially held at the lawn of a nearby wedding hall under police surveillance before being released. PTI MNA Shafqat Awan, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Qasim Khan Niazi, who were also present during the demonstration, were similarly detained and later released.
Following their release, the PTI founder’s family members departed for Gorakhpur via the motorway under police escort.
The events of the day highlight both the internal recalibration taking place within PTI and the ongoing public tensions surrounding Imran Khan’s imprisonment, underscoring the politically charged atmosphere as the party continues to mobilize under new leadership in key regions.
