ISLAMABAD: The recent decision of the Supreme Court`s Constitutional Bench onthereserved seatshas dealt a serious blow to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which is already embroiled in numerous challenges, including internal disunity.

Background briefings revealed a complete lack of trust among PTI leaders, with doubts about each other`s sincerity and intentions, particularly regarding ImranKhan`s messages.

Despite having doubts about loyalties, the party leaders, however, were found united in their support for Imran Khan`sleadership, hoping that the issues would be resolved once Mr Khan was freed from jail.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ChiefMinister Ali Amin Gandapur, considered a close confidant of Mr Khan, had initially declared that he would not get the budget passed from the provincial assembly without consulting Imran Khan.

However, the swift and somewhat hasty passage of the KP budget without his meeting with Mr Khan further exposed fissures within the party ranks, as evident from statements of various PTI leaders and members, who questioned each other`s loyalty to the incarcerated partyboss.

The statement by AleemaKhan, Imran Khan`s sister, about a `minus-Imran` formula sparked a heated debate within political and journalistic circles, as well as within the PTI, with some party leaders questioning the decision-making process.

Many senior party members believed that the party was facing a crisis-like situation due to a `communication gap` and the leadership`s failure to hold regular meetings with the jailed leader.

Another senior leader suggested that Aleema Khan`s statement was emotional andprovided an opportunity for Maryam Nawaz to criticise the party.

Communication gap According to prominent PTI leader Asad Qaiser, all the issues were due to a communication gap as the political leadership had no contact with Imran Khan.

`We remain unaware if the party`s patron-in-chief has really said it or not,` said Mr Qaiser, who served as the National Assembly speaker under the PTI government.

Mr Qaiser said that presently, only lawyers had been meeting with Mr Khan, and each of them had their own interpretation.

He also mentioned the sisters of Mr Khan, claiming that they simply conveyed the message as they heard. `I have no doubt but every person can understand the message as per his/her understanding,` he said.

During his conversation with Dawn, Mr Q aiser, without naming anyone, stated that some of the `friends of the PTI` were also responsible for the impression regarding rift within the party.

The former speaker said that they had decided that allunder the PTI government.

Mr Qaiser said that presently, only lawyers had been meeting with Mr Khan, and each of them had their own interpretation.

He also mentioned the sisters of Mr Khan, claiming that they simply conveyed the message as they heard. `I have no doubt but every person can understand the message as per his/her understanding,` he said.

During his conversation with Dawn, Mr Q aiser, without naming anyone, stated that some of the `friends of the PTI` were also responsible for the impression regarding rift within the party.

The former speaker said that they had decided that allthe party leaders would hold a joint press conference in which they would give a clear message that `there is no rift within the party`.

Another senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, also endorsed Mr Qaiser`s view, stating that the major issue was that the leadership was not being allowed to meet Mr Khan.

`The lack of communication has been triggering the confusion. Moreover, there can be differences of opinion within politicalparties and no one can stop it,` the PTI leader said.

He also dubbed the reports about internal rifts in the party as part of `a disinformation campaign`.

`We have conducted an inquiry and reached a conclu-sion that there are five persons who have been running at least 25 social media accounts which are being used to create a negative impression about the PTI, he claimed.

He admitted that there was frustration among the leaders and workers due to the `ongoing state oppression` and crackdown on the party for the last three years as well as the possible convictions of some party members and activists in the May 9 and Nov 26 cases.

`Establishment-backed elements` PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said some of the `establishment-backed elements` were taking advantage of the situation caused bymiscommunication within the party.

`There are some paid people who have been criticising the party. However, we have decided to address the communication gap,` said Mr Akram.

`We have decided to hold physical meetings, instead of Zoom [virtual]meetings, to avoid chances of wrong interpretations,` he said.

Mr Akram termed the consensus over the leadership of Mr Khan a `positive sign`, stating that everyone in the party knew that `they cannot survive without the founding chairman`.

He emphasised that the party was united behind Mr Khan`s leadership and acknowledged that rifts within parties were normal.`Rifts within parties are quite normal, as I have heard old PPP and new PPP, Zardari group and Bilawal group, Hamza group and Maryam group, and the rift between Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif,` he said in an effort to downplay the situation being faced by his party.

Fawad Chaudhry, former information minister in the PTI government, attributes the issues to the party`s lack of experienced leadership.

`Those taking decisions have limited experience, and the grouping in KP started in 2011, he said, suggesting the formation of a committee to meet opposition parties and launch a movement to secure Mr Khan`s release.