A significant rift is emerging within PTI’s leadership over the decision to hold a protest at D-Chowk on October 15, the same day as the SCO summit in Islamabad.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur are part of a minority within the party’s political committee opposing the protest.
Along with other moderates such as Asad Qaiser and Hamid Khan, they argue that staging a protest on this key day could harm Pakistan’s interests, particularly with foreign dignitaries attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the capital.
On the other hand, hawkish leaders like Shehbaz Gill, Hammad Azhar, Khalid Khurshid, and Hafiz Farhat have pushed for the protest, convincing the committee to move ahead despite the opposition.
This group has garnered unexpected support, including from Salman Akram Raja, who controversially backs the protest in the Red Zone, even though SCO leaders will be meeting nearby.
CM Gandapur, typically seen as combative, has voted against the protest during the summit. Murad Saeed, though not part of the political committee, was among the first to endorse the protest on social media, with Gill and Azhar using party platforms to target those opposing the decision.
Those seeking to withdraw the protest call are concerned that any conflict between PTI supporters and law enforcement could disrupt the SCO summit and damage Pakistan’s relationship with high-profile foreign guests, including heads of state. Several PTI leaders privately express unease about the timing, fearing it could harm Pakistan’s global reputation.
Additionally, they believe that ordinary PTI supporters are not in favor of the protest and may choose not to participate, potentially leaving the party open to public backlash even if the protest goes ahead.