Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), once regarded as the country's most potent political force, now finds its leadership split into four distinct groups: the elected representatives; the overseas supporters, particularly in the United States; the underground leadership; and the incarcerated figures, including Imran Khan. This division, though unnatural and largely shaped by prevailing circumstances, has fostered an environment of internal disarray, strategic confusion and weakened moral clarity.

A clear reflection of this fractured state is the party's handling of one of its most pressing challenges: securing the release of Imran Khan. Despite his nearly two-year imprisonment, PTI's efforts in this regard have been sporadic at best and timid at worst. While leaders continue to invoke resistance and defiance in rhetoric, their actions betray a lack of resolve.

One case in point is the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, who has made numerous aggressive statements about the consequences of any move to suppress the party or obstruct protest movements. Yet, when the time comes to stand in solidarity, he evaporates like mist in the morning sun. This brand of performative bravado has eroded the confidence of party workers and raised serious questions about the K-P government's willingness to genuinely challenge the prevailing status quo.

Meanwhile, the PTI diaspora, particularly those based in the United States, have assumed the role of digital activists, leveraging monetised platforms to engage in political commentary. While their efforts........

© The Express Tribune