Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP) Chairman Mahmood Khan has called for dialogue instead of street protests, while criticising several decisions taken by PTI leadership during the party’s recent political history.
In an interview with WeNews, Mahmood Khan said he believed the 2023 dissolution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly caused significant political damage to PTI.
He also discussed his differences with former PTI chairman Imran Khan, his departure from the party, the tenure of former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur and the selection of current KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Mahmood Khan Criticises 2023 Assembly Dissolution
Mahmood Khan said the decision to dissolve the KP Assembly in 2023 was taken despite opposition from provincial party leadership.
According to his account, former PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi had initially suggested the dissolution to Imran Khan, while Fawad Chaudhry and other Punjab leaders later supported the move.
Mahmood Khan said the KP leadership had preferred that the Punjab Assembly be dissolved first if both assemblies were going to be dissolved.
He argued that the political situation could then have been assessed following the Punjab election results before a decision was taken regarding the KP Assembly.
According to Mahmood Khan, the provincial leadership’s reservations were ultimately ignored.
Former KP CM Recalls His Last Contact With Imran Khan
Mahmood Khan said his last contact with Imran Khan took place on July 16, 2023.
He recalled that Khan had asked him not to leave PTI, but said circumstances eventually compelled him to part ways with the party.
Mahmood Khan maintained that remaining with PTI under the circumstances at the time could have caused difficulties for both himself and Imran Khan.
His comments provide his account of the circumstances surrounding his departure from the party and his subsequent political activities.
Mahmood Khan Criticises Ali Amin Gandapur
The former KP chief minister also criticised Ali Amin Gandapur, claiming that he failed to deliver during his time as provincial chief minister.
Mahmood Khan alleged that Gandapur’s appointment was linked to efforts to secure Imran Khan’s release and accused him of maintaining contacts with opposing political forces.
These claims were made by Mahmood Khan during the interview and were not independently established in the supplied report.
He also criticised Gandapur’s protest strategy, alleging that some of his political activities were staged for video coverage.
Mahmood Khan further made claims concerning the circumstances surrounding Bushra Bibi’s imprisonment and security, attributing responsibility to Gandapur. These remarks were presented as allegations rather than independently verified findings.
Corruption Claims Against Gandapur
Mahmood Khan also levelled corruption allegations against Ali Amin Gandapur and his brother, Faisal Amin.
He said he had no doubt that Gandapur had been involved in corrupt practices and alleged that his brother had established a separate office that Mahmood Khan described as a centre of corruption.
The allegations were made during Mahmood Khan’s interview and were not independently substantiated in the supplied report.
How Sohail Afridi Was Selected
Mahmood Khan also discussed the selection of Sohail Afridi as KP chief minister after Ali Amin Gandapur was removed in October 2025.
He said three names had been proposed for the position.
According to Mahmood Khan, Imran Khan personally knew two of the candidates and rejected them, while he did not previously know Sohail Afridi.
Mahmood Khan said Khan nevertheless selected Afridi with the expectation that the young tribal politician would demonstrate his capabilities.
He added that, to his knowledge, Afridi had no previous experience of running government affairs and subsequently faced considerable pressure.
Mahmood Khan also referred to reports involving Afridi’s brother and alleged financial misconduct at the Chief Minister’s House. These claims were presented as reports or allegations and were not independently verified in the supplied material.
PTIP and PTI Discussed Political Arrangement
Mahmood Khan also recalled discussions between PTIP and PTI following the 2024 general elections.
He said PTIP had initially been established under Pervaiz Khattak, who served as its first chairman.
According to Mahmood Khan, PTI later needed a political platform after the Election Commission’s decision concerning the party’s electoral status.
He said PTI contacted him on Imran Khan’s instructions and requested that Pervaiz Khattak be removed as PTIP chairman.
Mahmood Khan said the demand was conveyed to Khattak, who subsequently resigned.
He added that PTI leaders later sought the PTIP chairmanship but that he offered them the position of vice-chairman instead.
According to Mahmood Khan, no agreement was reached. He linked the failed arrangement to PTI losing more than 70 reserved seats, though the account reflects his version of events.
Mahmood Khan Recalls His Own Appointment
Discussing his selection as KP chief minister after the 2018 general elections, Mahmood Khan said Pervaiz Khattak was seeking another term as chief minister and was lobbying for the position.
He said Atif Khan was also a strong contender and that competition between the two intensified.
Mahmood Khan said his own name was eventually selected and Imran Khan appointed him chief minister.
He added that although Jahangir Tareen and Murad Saeed had not initially proposed his name, both eventually supported his candidacy.
Differences With Imran Khan
Mahmood Khan said disagreements occasionally developed between him and Imran Khan during his tenure as KP chief minister.
He said these differences emerged particularly when he believed he needed to advocate for the province’s interests.
He also recalled that some cabinet members, including Atif Khan, Shahram Khan and Shakeel Khan, had reservations about his appointment and repeatedly lobbied against him.
According to Mahmood Khan, he raised the issue with Imran Khan, after which the three ministers were removed from the cabinet.
He said they were later reinstated once the differences were resolved.
Mahmood Khan Calls for Dialogue
On PTI’s current political strategy, Mahmood Khan said the party no longer had what he described as a “real existence” and argued that its leadership should prioritise dialogue over protests.
He said relying on court cases alone would not resolve the party’s political problems and urged PTI leaders to pursue negotiations.
Mahmood Khan also commented on the September 27 protest, saying demonstrations would not secure Imran Khan’s release and warning that political mobilisation could lead to further consequences for the party.
Recent reports confirm that PTI and allied opposition groups were preparing for a September 27 march. The opposition alliance has described the planned activity as a peaceful, constitutional and democratic political action.
Opposition Groups Prepare for September 27 March
The September 27 mobilisation has become a major point of discussion among PTI and allied opposition parties.
According to recent reporting, PTI leaders have been coordinating with opposition groups, while the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan has said it would support the planned march.
The opposition alliance has also said the protest would focus on issues including inflation, unemployment, petrol prices, law and order, constitutional rights and provincial concerns.
Mahmood Khan’s call for dialogue therefore comes amid an ongoing debate within Pakistan’s opposition over the balance between negotiations and street mobilisation.
Mahmood Khan Discusses 2023 Caretaker Process
Mahmood Khan also recalled the process of selecting a caretaker chief minister in 2023.
He said Pervaiz Khattak had initially persuaded Imran Khan to agree to a particular candidate, whom Mahmood Khan described as a strong choice.
Mahmood Khan said he personally did not want to reach a consensus with the opposition over that individual, while Khattak took an active role in the selection process.
He also recalled an in-camera meeting held during the final stage of Imran Khan’s government.
According to Mahmood Khan, the meeting was attended by chief ministers and then-opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif.
Discussion Over TTP Members
Mahmood Khan said the meeting also included discussions about individuals affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who were present in Afghanistan.
He maintained that the discussions and subsequent decision-making were not the responsibility of Imran Khan alone but involved the leadership collectively.
Mahmood Khan further claimed that many of the individuals who later came to Pakistan eventually returned to Afghanistan.
His account represents his recollection of events surrounding the policy discussions at the time.
Dialogue Remains a Key Political Question
Mahmood Khan’s latest comments cover several major developments in PTI’s political history, including the 2023 assembly dissolution, his departure from the party, changes in KP leadership and the party’s approach to protests.
His call for dialogue comes as PTI and opposition groups continue preparations for the September 27 mobilisation, while recent opposition statements have simultaneously emphasised peaceful and constitutional political activity.
The competing approaches — negotiations on one side and street mobilisation on the other — remain part of the broader political debate surrounding PTI and Pakistan’s opposition parties.
Also read: PTI Leader Shafqat Mehmood Pulls Out Of Elections 2024
