Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), on Friday, cautioned leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against publicly airing their grievances, hinting at undisclosed details he refrained from revealing out of allegiance to PTI’s founder, Imran Khan.
Raza’s comments followed PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat’s critique that aligning with the SIC was detrimental, attributing the loss of 80 seats to this decision. Raza rebuked Marwat’s remarks and urged PTI to address its internal conflicts.
On X, Raza emphasized that the collaboration with SIC was Imran Khan’s decision, stating, “I did not make any request.” He suggested that revealing certain facts on talk shows could embarrass many within PTI, but his loyalty to Imran Khan prevented him from doing so.
Amidst internal disagreements within PTI over its alliance with SIC, Senator Barrister Ali Zafar disclosed that initially, there was a consensus to merge with Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) for reserved seats, which abruptly changed following a visit to Imran Khan in Adiala Jail, leading to a decision to ally with the SIC instead.
As PTI faces legal challenges regarding SIC’s reserved seats, Zafar mentioned the complexity of interpreting the Constitution and the Elections Act, acknowledging differing viewpoints. The Supreme Court’s decision remains pending on whether PTI’s interpretation aligns with the law, contrasting with the ECP and PHC’s rulings.
