PESHAWAR: Two more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates, Irfan Saleem and Ayesha Bano, announced their withdrawal from the upcoming Senate elections, bringing the total number of withdrawn candidates from the party to four. Only Khurram Zeeshan remains in the race as the last standing candidate from the dissident group.
Irfan Saleem, a disgruntled PTI member, made the announcement in an emotional statement, saying:
“With a broken heart and tearful eyes, I withdraw from the Senate elections for the sake of the party workers.”
He emphasized that their participation was never just about contesting elections, but about sending a message to the party leadership:
“We are not here only to make sacrifices — our voices must also be heard. We are no one’s slaves.”
Saleem claimed that Imran Khan personally invited him to contest elections in 2018. However, he expressed clear disagreement with PTI’s internal decision-making:
“We accept Imran Khan’s decisions, but not those made by Barrister Saif.”
Meanwhile, Ayesha Bano also confirmed her decision to withdraw from the race. Though she did not issue a detailed statement, party insiders link her move to growing dissatisfaction over ticket allocations and internal differences.
According to sources, the series of withdrawals reflects increasing frustration among the PTI ranks over what they describe as unilateral decisions and unfair distribution of Senate tickets.
The internal discord raises questions about PTI’s cohesion ahead of the Senate elections, especially in the wake of ongoing legal and political challenges faced by the party.
