In a series of explosive tweets over the past three days, former Pakistani military officer and whistleblower Adil Raja has leveled serious accusations against key figures within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleging deep-seated military influence aimed at undermining the party’s leadership and loyalty to imprisoned founder Imran Khan. Raja claims that Barrister Ali Zafar and Mashal Yousafzai are acting as agents of the military establishment, discrediting dedicated PTI lawyers like Intizar Panjotha and Salman Akram Raja while advocating for the return of Fawad Chaudhry, whom Raja portrays as a divisive figure. He further asserts that these individuals have been granted exclusive access to Khan in Adiala Jail, facilitated by the military, to manipulate party decisions and spread fabricated messages attributed to Khan, potentially as part of a broader conspiracy to fracture PTI from within.
These allegations come amid reports of ongoing internal tensions within PTI, including public disputes and expulsions that highlight fractures in the party’s ranks. For instance, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat recently blamed Salman Akram Raja and others for his expulsion from the party, underscoring personal and factional conflicts. Additionally, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has publicly stated that Imran Khan must personally resolve issues with the military establishment for his release, pointing to external pressures influencing party strategy. Ali Zafar, a frequent visitor to Khan, has relayed messages from the former prime minister urging PTI leaders to prepare for protests and end internal differences, raising questions about the authenticity and motivations behind such communications in light of Raja’s claims. Raja’s tweets also repost older content to emphasize Ali Zafar’s alleged longstanding ties to the establishment, suggesting a calculated effort to install compliant figures in PTI’s leadership. This narrative aligns with broader concerns about military interference in Pakistani politics, as evidenced by Imran Khan’s recent letter to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, where he decried injustices in the legal system and implied external manipulations denying him fair treatment. Fawad Chaudhry, meanwhile, has called for national unity and questioned PTI’s labeling as terrorists, while urging Khan to elevate political leaders amid post-May 9 hardships—statements that Raja interprets as part of the establishment’s playbook to dilute the party’s revolutionary stance.عمران خان کی پیٹھ میں چھرا پی ٹی آئی لیڈران کے اس غدار گروپ نے گھونپا جن کو عوام نے سر پر بٹھایا، مگر وہاں بیٹھ کر انہوں نے پیشاب کیا۔
— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) October 1, 2024
Efforts to coordinate meetings with Khan, often handled by lawyers like Intizar Panjotha who submit lists to jail authorities, have been hampered by reported denials of access to family and legal teams, further fueling suspicions of controlled influence. Raja’s disclosures, shared across multiple posts, warn of a potential sabotage that could lead to PTI’s disintegration if not addressed, echoing his earlier confirmations of military involvement in political affairs. As PTI navigates these challenges, the allegations underscore the fragile balance between party autonomy and alleged external meddling in Pakistan’s turbulent political landscape.Who posted this? https://t.co/RePIANW146 pic.twitter.com/rhWjG39Cw5
— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) October 1, 2024
