Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

Foundation and early years Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was founded by Imran Khan on 25 April 1996 in Lahore. PTI was conceived when Khan discussed forming a political party at the home of Dr. Nausherwan Burki, head of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH). Those involved included Pervez Hasan, a lawyer and SKMH board member; Naeemul Haq, Khan's former bank manager and close associate; Abdul Hafeez Khan, a Pakistani expatriate businessman; and Ahsan Rashid, a former oil company executive and SKMH fundraiser in Saudi Arabia. Later that day, Hamid Khan, a constitutional lawyer, was approached and joined the party. Khan cited frustration with government corruption and restrictions placed by Benazir Bhutto's government on his philanthropic activities as reasons for entering politics. Although Khan instructed that SKMH fundraising be kept separate from PTI, many founding members were donors or fundraisers for the hospital, and the party's early culture reflected its philanthropic origins. Among the party's founding members were Akbar S. Babar, Arif Alvi, Asad Qaiser, Imran Ismail, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Najeeb Haroon. Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Faisal Javed, and Shadab H. Jafri also joined the party in 1996. Early women members included Fauzia Kasuri, an SKMH fundraiser in the United States, and Saloni Bokhari, a Lahori businesswoman and SKMH donor, both of whom are considered among the party's founding members; and Sadiqa Sahibdad Khan, a philanthropist and Hamid Khan's sister-in-law. Alvi was regarded as one of the authors of the party's constitution, and Hamid Khan was a leading intellectual influence on the party before 2011. The party's early constitutional documents expressed commitments to social democracy, constitutionalism, political decentralisation, and the rule of law. Some critics alleged that PTI was an establishment party created by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence to bolster the state's national security narrative by legitimising jihadi groups and mainstreaming extremism. From 1996 to 2002, PTI lacked a large activist base and meaningful internal competition. The party performed poorly in the 1997 and 2002 general elections, winning only Imran Khan's seat from Mianwali in both contests. Reorganisation and rise (2007–2011) The Lawyers' Movement, the pro-democracy mobilisation following General Pervez Musharraf's 2007 Pakistani state of emergency, the decline of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and disillusionment among Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers with Zardari's leadership contributed to an influx of workers and leaders into PTI. During this period, PTI workers, particularly students from its student wing, the Insaf Students Federation (ISF), regularly participated in Lawyers' Movement rallies while carrying PTI flags, increasing the party's public visibility. From around 2007, PTI began attracting professional politicians from both right- and left-wing parties, including some prominent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and a gradual inflow of student activists from its student wing, Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, increasing its capacity to function as a catch-all party. PTI boycotted the 2008 Pakistani general elections after Musharraf refused to step down as president. According to the columnist Nadeem F. Paracha, the party during this period was "merely drifting as a more good-looking B team of Jamaat-e-Islami". Between 2008 and 2011, former members of the PML-Q and disillusioned PPP workers in Punjab also began joining PTI. High-profile entrants included Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan, former ministers under Musharraf, who joined in 2011 before the October rally at Minar-e-Pakistan. In order to join PTI, Tareen resigned from the National Assembly of Pakistan, stating that his political vision aligned with that of party chairman Imran Khan. He emerged as one of the party's most prominent financiers and organisers and was described by Herald as PTI's "money man", citing his central role in funding party activities, protests, and election campaigns. PTI operated largely as a bottom-up movement driven by activists and new political entrants, with limited reliance on traditional constituency networks in the period leading up to the October 2011 Lahore rally. The party mobilised support through expatriate fundraising, particularly from Pakistanis in the United States and United Kingdom, online membership registration and SMS-based enrolment, and the use of digital communication platforms such as SMSALL.PK. These organisational strategies contributed to the success of PTI's October 2011 Lahore rally. The party gained national prominence after the rally, which was attended by an estimated 100,000 supporters, and began to be viewed as a viable political force. The rally's format and aesthetics later became a template for PTI rallies and were subsequently adopted in the party's protests after 2013. Shah Mehmood Qureshi joined the party in 2012, followed by veteran PML-N leader Javed Hashmi later that year. In March 2012, PTI's Central Executive Committee appointed Hashmi as the party's president. 2013 intra-party elections Tensions between long-standing members and new entrants were already evident in 2012, leading the party to pursue intraparty elections as a means of resolving internal conflict. Under its party manifesto, PTI is required to hold intra-party elections every four years; however, no such elections were held for nearly eleven years, and the party was identified by the Election Commission of Pakistan in January 2013 as having failed to conduct intra-party elections within the prescribed timeframe ahead of the general elections. In January and February 2013, PTI held intraparty elections across Punjab and in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, allowing members registered via SMS to vote either electronically or at local polling booths. Elections were conducted from the union council level up to the central council, with Hamid Khan serving as election commissioner and the party's lawyers' wing assisting in administration. Following these polls, Imran Khan was elected chairperson unopposed in March 2013, as no other party official filed nomination papers to contest the position. Khan stated that the party would impose a two-term limit on its chairperson and that he would not serve as a lifetime party head, saying that such practices were inconsistent with democratic norms. In the Punjab chapter elections, Ejaz Chaudhry was elected president of PTI Punjab, and Yasmin Rashid was elected the party's provincial general secretary. In June 2013, former PTI women's wing leader Fauzia Kasuri resigned from the party, alleging that the intra-party elections had not been conducted fairly and accusing the party's election commissioner, Hamid Khan, of preventing her from contesting. PTI rejected these claims, stating that the elections were held on 21 March 2013 and that Kasuri had relinquished her US citizenship after the polls, affecting her eligibility to contest. In December 2013, Imran Khan constituted an election tribunal headed by Wajihuddin Ahmed to address internal complaints regarding the intra-party elections. In October 2014, the tribunal ordered the dissolution of party bodies and the holding of fresh elections. Reports by the commission headed by Tasneem Noorani and the Justice (retd.) Wajihuddin Ahmed Election Tribunal confirmed manipulation of the intraparty elections. Wajihuddin stated that "buckets of money" had been poured into the intra-party elections and concluded that several contests had been rigged. PTI chief Imran Khan contested four National Assembly constituencies in the 2013 Pakistani general election. The party's campaign drew significant support from urban women and youth voters. PTI won 28 seats in the National Assembly. It emerged as the single largest party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after winning 59 seats, formed the provincial government with coalition support, and emerged as the third-largest party nationally. The PTI-led Pervez Khattak Administration presented a balanced, tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2013–14, and introduced the Sehat Sahulat (Sehat Insaf Card) health insurance programme. In November 2013, Khan directed Khattak to end the party's alliance with the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) due to its failure to take action against its ministers over corruption, including Bakht Baidar and Ibrar Hussain. Following the elections, Jahangir Tareen's presence in PTI's senior leadership highlighted internal divisions within the party. According to Herald, his growing prominence highlighted a divide between party members who prioritised ideological mobilisation and those who held the view that electoral success required greater reliance on wealthy and influential candidates. Tareen was widely perceived as representing the latter group. On 14 August 2014, PTI organised the Azadi March from Lahore towards Islamabad, during which the party demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation. Javed Hashmi left the party in September 2014 after accusing Khan of colluding with Tahir-ul-Qadri and elements of the military establishment against Sharif. In March 2015, PTI entered into an agreement with the Sharif administration to establish a judicial commission to inquire into allegations of rigging. In August 2015, PTI chairman Imran Khan suspended Wajihuddin Ahmed's basic party membership after he publicly discussed internal party matters, amid differences over the implementation of recommendations made by the party's election tribunal on the 2013 intra-party elections. In September 2015, a group of PTI founding members led by Akbar S. Babar issued a show-cause notice to Imran Khan, alleging corruption, nepotism, and mismanagement within the party, including the refusal to conduct an independent audit of party funds and failure to act on findings related to irregularities in the intra-party elections. PTI election commissioner Tasneem Noorani resigned in 2016 after Khan declined to hold elections for the party's national leadership. Khan dissolved PTI's organisational structure, and party bodies at all levels were subsequently appointed by Khan and his associates rather than elected. Wajihuddin resigned from PTI in September 2016. In late 2016, PTI dissolved its organisational structure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and postponed intra-party elections in the province. To manage party affairs on an interim basis, PTI divided Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into four regions and appointed interim regional heads. Provincial Minister for Public Health Engineering Shah Farman was assigned to the Peshawar zone, Minister for Revenue Ali Amin Gandapur to the southern zone, Minister for Tourism Mehmood Khan to the Malakand zone, and Zar Gul Khan to the Hazara region. Following the Panama Papers leak, PTI filed a petition in the Supreme Court in late 2016, seeking an investigation into corruption allegations against the Sharif family. The court disqualified Sharif from holding public office, after which he resigned as prime minister. In July 2017, Naz Baloch left PTI for the PPP, citing the marginalisation of women and youth. In August 2017, PTI Member of the National Assembly Ayesha Gulalai accused Khan and his close associates of disrespecting women and party workers. 2017 intra-party elections According to its constitution, PTI was required to hold intra-party elections by March 2017. In May 2017, Imran Khan announced that the elections would be held on 11 June 2017 under the newly appointed election commissioner, Azam Swati. The announcement followed directives from the Election Commission of Pakistan instructing provincial authorities not to allot PTI its electoral symbol, the "cricket bat", in by-elections due to the party's failure to hold the polls. During the 2017 intra-party elections, 256,957 of approximately 2.7 million registered party workers cast their votes over a two-day polling process, representing a turnout of 10.4 percent. , Imran Khan, Murad Saeed, and Shibli Faraz in February 2018. Imran Khan was re-elected as chairman. The following individuals were elected to other key party offices: PTI campaigned on a populist and anti-corruption platform. The election was widely seen as a contest between PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League (N). However, while promoting the idea of a "New Pakistan", PTI relied electorally on alliances with established power centres, including right-wing religious parties, electables, business interests, and the military establishment. . Top party members Faisal Javed and Khurrum Sher Zaman can also be seen The party won 116 of the 270 directly contested National Assembly seats, emerging as the largest party in Parliament, and its total seat count rose to 125 after nine independent MNAs-elect joined PTI. Following the allocation of 28 reserved seats for women and five for minorities, PTI's strength in the 342-member National Assembly reached 158 seats, increasing its overall representation from 31 seats in 2013 to 158 seats in 2018. PTI was able to lead a coalition government, marking its first successful bid for power at the federal level. Following the election, opposition parties, particularly the PML-N, alleged vote rigging and electoral irregularities, After forming government, a significant portion of PTI's cabinet consisted of former ministers from the PML-Q and PPP. The PTI government launched an austerity drive soon after coming to power in an effort to address Pakistan's financial difficulties. , under a PTI majority (red) in 2018|left In 2019, Buzdar provincial government saw the resignations of Senior Minister Aleem Khan and Minister Sibtain Khan after both were arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on corruption-related charges. In December 2019, PTI suspended the basic party membership of Hamid Khan and issued him a show cause notice for "defaming and maligning" the party. Senior PTI ministers in the Mahmood Khan provincial government, Atif Khan, Shakeel Ahmad and Shahram Khan Tarakai, were removed from the cabinet in January 2020 amid allegations that they were attempting to form a forward bloc and undermine Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, a move approved by Prime Minister Khan. In February 2021, a show-cause notice was issued to party member Liaquat Ali Jatoi after he made allegations of corruption against the party leadership regarding the allocation of Senate election tickets. In March 2021, Aslam Abro and Shahar Yar Khan Shar were expelled from the party for violating the party's instructions during the Senate polls, and their basic party memberships were subsequently cancelled. It was reported that both had accused the party leadership and voted against the party's candidates for Senate seats in Sindh. Post-government period (2022–present) On 22 May 2022, PTI chairman Imran Khan announced that his party would launch a long march towards Islamabad starting on 25 May 2022. Police conducted raids on the residences of PTI leaders and workers across the country and arrested at least 150 party members. In October 2022, Faisal Vawda's party membership was terminated over his contentious press conference. 2023 expansion In February 2023, Parvez Elahi joined PTI along with ten former MPAs of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML (Q)). On 7 March 2023, Elahi was appointed as the President of PTI. On 19 March 2023, Ijaz-ul-Haq, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Z), announced that he had joined the PTI. May 9 riots and crackdown speaks on the riots. On 9 May 2023, after the arrest of Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI, from the Islamabad High Court grounds, nationwide demonstrations by PTI supporters turned into violent riots. PTI workers and members caused incidents of vandalism, looting, and arson, resulting in Rs. 1.98 billion in damages to government and military facilities. Punjab Police, using geo-fencing reports, alleged that Imran Khan and key PTI leaders coordinated efforts to incite attacks on the residence of the Lahore corps commander and other sensitive locations. Police reported over 400 calls made by PTI leaders, including Khan, instructing rioters to target these areas. Inspector General of Police Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar confirmed the use of geo-fencing to trace these communications, naming Khan as a prime suspect in orchestrating the attacks. Other PTI leaders involved included Hammad Azhar, Yasmin Rashid, Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Ejaz Chaudhary, Mian Aslam Iqbal, and Murad Raas, all of whom were reportedly in contact with the rioters and issued specific instructions for the attacks, while PTI has denied these claims and alleged that government agencies were behind the riots. Furthermore, PTI has alleged that the May 9 riots were a "false flag operation" designed by the Pakistan Armed Forces and The Establishment to destroy and crackdown on the party as well as to arbitrarily arrest party leadership. A detailed order from Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Khalid Arshad implicated PTI's founder, Imran Khan, in orchestrating attacks on military installations, government properties, and police officials. The order revealed that Khan had instructed PTI leaders to create chaos and exert pressure for his release if arrested, as testified by two prosecution witnesses. The court order described a meeting held on 7 May 2023, where Khan allegedly directed PTI leaders to prepare for potential unrest on May 9, should he be detained. He purportedly warned through a video message of a scenario akin to Sri Lanka's unrest; if he were to be arrested, encouraging party workers to engage in what he termed a "real jihad for real freedom." The prosecution suggested that Khan orchestrated a criminal conspiracy, rallying top PTI leadership to incite actions that culminated in the attack and arson of the Jinnah House (Corp Commander House, Lahore), aiming to intimidate the government. After the riots, a crackdown was initiated by government of Shehbaz Sharif against PTI leaders and workers, with thousands arrested. PTI revealed evidence suggesting that PTI workers and party members were harassed, and unlawfully arrested. PTI leaders were forced to quit party/party positions in televised press conferences. Businesses of PTI leaders who did not quit the party were sealed. A crackdown was also initiated on vocal women supporters of PTI - the most prominent of which was Khadija Shah, a businesswoman and granddaughter of former Pakistani Army Chief, Asif Nawaz Janjua. Party resignations, terminations, and expulsions (2023) From May 2023 to August 2023, PTI faced a wave of resignations, In July 2023, PTI terminated the basic membership of twenty-two former lawmakers and party members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan. Details of other notable PTI leaders who exited the party through resignation, termination, or expulsion during this period: 2024 election and post-election period (2024–Present) After Arrest of Imran Khan, the PTI's leadership structure was significantly constrained ahead of the 2024 Pakistani general election, as Khan and vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi were imprisoned. To meet the Election Commission's requirements and enable the party's participation in the elections, Gohar Ali Khan was elected unopposed as PTI chairman. Gohar described his appointment as temporary and said that he would step down once Imran Khan's conviction was overturned. On 19 February 2024, PTI announced an alliance with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM). The alliance with SIC was aimed at enabling the PTI to claim its share of reserved seats in the national, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. , Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, Then-Secretary General Omar Ayub with SIC leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza in April 2024 In December 2024, Salman Ahmad, a long-term member of the party, was expelled after publicly criticising Bushra Bibi, including describing her as "corrupt and greedy". In February 2025, Imran Khan ordered the expulsion of lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat for repeated breaches of party discipline. At a PTI rally, Marwat delivered a cryptic speech suggesting that "bad people" are useful in "bad times" while "good people" remain silent, and implied that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur would represent people like himself. These remarks prompted internal complaints and led to the revocation of his basic membership. Previously, he was issued a show-cause notice for his comments against Salman Akram Raja. ==Positions==

PTI aimed to transform Pakistan into an Islamic state modelled on Riyasat-e-Madinah (State of Madina), described as an Islamic version of a welfare state intended to create a more equal society. According to the PTI's policy as described in 2018, the party planned to develop poverty reduction programmes, promote diverse livelihood options, improve the healthcare system, and strengthen educational system reforms. Domestic The PTI proposed civilian control of Pakistan's military. The Inter-Services Intelligence service would report directly to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the defence budget would be audited by the government. Imran Khan also pledged to resign should any terrorism take place from Pakistani soil following these reforms. PTI organised a protest against drone attacks in Pakistan on 23 November 2013 at Peshawar, where it called on the federal government to force an end to U.S. CIA drone attacks and to block NATO supplies through the country to Afghanistan. "We will put pressure on America, and our protest will continue if drone attacks are not stopped." The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the protest that also temporarily closed a route leading to one of two border crossings used for the shipments. The PTI also raised issue of religious tolerance and greater representation for minorities. PTI promised to crack down on police brutality, restructure the civil service, reform the electoral system, allow for a truly independent judiciary, decentralise state power, and enforce laws which extend personal liberty. On 20 February 2013 PTI launched its 'Education Policy' with plans to introduce a uniform education system with one curriculum in three languages for Urdu, English and regional languages for entire Pakistan in primary schools. The PTI advocated the establishment of South Punjab and Gilgit Baltistan as formal provinces of Pakistan. In the 2018 election, Imran Khan promises to bring a "Naya Pakistan" (new Pakistan). Following its rise to national government in Pakistan, the PTI backed off from certain commitments in its manifesto what was criticised by its opponents as U-turns. Dawn has found that the progress on some promises is still stuck in its initial stages or has been marred with delays. Foreign policy The PTI hopes to have a relationship with the US that would be based on "self-dignity and respect" and promised to stop all foreign aid to Pakistan. The PTI also promised to make the Kashmir issue a top priority and would try and solve the issue permanently so that Pakistan no longer has any border or territorial disputes with any of its neighbours. ==Organization and structure==

Administration (right) with Imran Khan (centre) in the party's 2013 intra-party elections. The National Council serves as the governing body of the PTI. Its members include office bearers of provincial organizations, presidents of regional and district organizations, and five members nominated by various sectors such as women, youth, students, labour, farmers, minorities, lawyers, and overseas organizations. Additionally, advisors nominated by the chairman are part of the council. The National Council is responsible for electing central office-bearers. PTI announced plans to conduct US-style intra-party elections, aiming to introduce local caucuses on district levels throughout the country. As part of this process, aspiring candidates would engage in debates and undergo primaries to secure a party ticket for contesting Provincial Assembly or National Assembly seats. The elections commenced in October 2012 and concluded on 23 March 2013, culminating in the election of the National Council after an extensive electoral process involving over four million registered members. With these elections, PTI became the first political party in Pakistan to conduct the largest intra-party election based on the general electoral base. On 2 December 2023, PTI held new intra-party elections, which were invalidated by Election Commission of Pakistan. The party conducted another intra-party election on 3 March 2024. ;Central functions Most of PTI's central leadership was elected. Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi were elected on 20 March 2013. The Secretary information, Secretary Finance, Secretary Social Media, Secretary Political Training, and Secretary Policy Planning are appointed by the chairman and confirmed by the CEC. ;Provincial Council Party wings ;Central Tarbiyati Council (CTC) In June 2014, a Central Tarbiyati Council was established, which is responsible for training party activists on ideology, election campaigns, and other organizational matters. ;Insaf Youth Wing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf established its youth wing aimed at addressing the concerns and challenges faced by individuals under the age of 40. for addressing issues within its area of expertise, covering socio-political, information technology, economics, energy, healthcare, corruption, foreign affairs, education, and environment sectors. It consists of nine committees. The IRW has since been replaced by the Insaf Research Team. ==Electoral performance==

1997 and 2002 general elections Less than a year after its establishment, PTI participated in the 1997 general elections. Imran Khan stood in seven constituencies across Pakistan but did not secure a majority in any. During the 2002 general elections, party chairman Imran Khan won one seat from Mianwali. PTI garnered 0.8% of the popular vote. 2008 general elections . PTI openly boycotted the Pakistani general election on 18 February 2008 because it believed that the election was fraudulent and fraught with irregularities. 2013 general elections .|left On 21 April 2013, Khan, the chairman of PTI, launched his campaign for the 2013 elections from Lahore, where he addressed supporters at The Mall, Lahore followed by prayers at the Data Durbar Complex. This was followed by large rallies in Karak and Dera Ismail Khan. He also announced that he would pull Pakistan out of the US-led war on terror and bring peace in the Pashtun tribal belt. On 22 April 2013, Khan addressed different public meetings in Malakand, Lower Dir District and Upper Dir District, where he announced that PTI would introduce a uniform education system in which the children of rich and poor would have equal opportunities. On the same day, he spoke at a rally in Rawalpindi's Constituency NA-56, accompanied by Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad. On 23 April 2013, Khan addressed large rallies in Renala Khurd, Okara, and other parts of Sahiwal Division. He challenged PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to a live debate, a challenge which PML-N was quick to decline. On 24 April, Khan addressed rallies in Nankana Sahib District, Sheikhupura, and Pattoki, where he announced that once in power, no parliamentarian would receive development funds as they are misused for achieving political gains. On 25 April 2013, Khan addressed political gatherings in South Punjab, including in Pakpattan, Lodhran, and Vehari. On the following day, Khan continued his mass campaign in South Punjab. He addressed rallies at Jalalpur Pirwala, Muzaffargarh, Mian Channu, Kabirwala, and Khanewal. He promised to end the system of tyranny and announced that once in power, he would enact laws allowing every village or town to elect its own Station House Officer, believing it would prevent corruption and police brutality. He also promised to eliminate the post of Patwari and establish a computerised and professional land record system. Khan concluded his South Punjab campaign by addressing rallies at Bahawalpur, Khanpur, Sadiqabad, Rahim Yar Khan, and Rajanpur on 27 April. During the campaign, he collectively visited over 25 towns and cities, addressing dozens of rallies and corner meetings. He promised to hold accountable the killers behind the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and stated that the local government system is important for the prosperity of Pakistan. On 28 April, Khan moved to central Punjab where he addressed large rallies in Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, and Sargodha, promising to bring justice and equality to Pakistan. On 29 April 2013, Khan addressed rallies at Murree, Talagang, Chakwal, Taxila, and Attock. On 30 April, Khan visited his hometown of Mianwali, where he addressed several rallies, criticizing the Bhuttos and Sharifs. He stated, 'You can't lead a revolution from behind bulletproof glass,' and claimed that he had conquered the fear of dying 17 years ago. On 1 and 2 March, Khan addressed gatherings in Sibi, Loralai, Zafarwal, Pasrur, Narowal, Jacobabad, and also led a car rally in Rawalpindi. On 3 May, Khan continued his campaign at Battagram, Mansehra, Torghar District, Abbottabad, and Haripur, followed by rallies at Buner District, Swabi, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, and Peshawar on 4th, promising to abandon the war on terror. Pakistan's 2013 elections took place on 11 May 2013 across the country. The elections resulted in a clear majority for the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a strong rival of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, although PTI managed to surpass the Pakistan Peoples Party as the main opposition to PML-N's candidates in the Punjab Province. PTI's popularity propelled 20 representatives to the Punjab Assembly. PTI also emerged as the second-largest party in Karachi. According to unofficial results announced by Pakistani media and the Election Commission of Pakistan, Imran Khan, Chairman of PTI, won three of the four constituencies he contested, securing victories in Constituency NA-1, Constituency NA-56, and Constituency NA-71. PTI won 31 directly elected parliamentary seats, marking a significant increase from the 2002 elections. Nationally, PTI became the third-largest party and the largest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the second-largest in Punjab. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI defeated all mainstream political parties across the province with mostly new candidates. It secured every seat in Peshawar, Nowshera, and Mardan district. It is anticipated that PTI will lead a coalition government in the province. However, PTI failed to secure a majority in Punjab and made limited gains in Sindh or Baluchistan. PTI obtained 34 out of 99 seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Apart from Karachi, Sindh was largely overlooked by PTI during much of its election campaign, and this is reflected in the results. The party failed to field candidates in 19 out of Interior Sindh's 40 constituencies. Where it did field candidates, it struggled to surpass the 5% vote benchmark in 18 constituencies. In most of these constituencies, the number of votes received was in the hundreds. PTI's only significant showing in interior Sindh was in the constituencies of NA-228 Umerkot and NA-230 Tharparkar, where the party's vice president, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has a considerable following through his spiritual Ghousia Jamaat. In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI formed a governing coalition with the Jamaat-e-Islami and Qaumi Watan parties in 2013. On 13 May 2013, Parvez Khattak was appointed as the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Development Advisory Committee includes Asad Umar, Jehangir Khan Tareen, Ali Asghar Khan, Khalid Mehsud, and Rustam Shah Mohmand. 2015 Local bodies elections 2018 general elections Pakistan's 2018 elections took place on 25 July 2018 nationwide. The elections saw the PTI secure a majority of seats in the National Assembly with 116 seats won. Adding 28 women and 5 Minority seats, the total tally reached 149. With PTI securing the largest seat share and vote share, it formed a government at the centre in alliance with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML (Q)), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Balochistan National Party (Mengal) (BNP-M), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Awami Muslim League (Pakistan) (AML), and Jamhoori Wattan Party (JWP). Additionally, PTI secured government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 78 seats, Punjab with 175 seats, and formed an alliance government in Balochistan. Following the elections, Imran Khan was elected as Prime Minister, receiving 176 votes against Shehbaz Sharif's 96 votes. PTI also succeeded in electing its Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser and Qasim Suri respectively. On 4 September 2018, Arif Alvi was elected as the 13th President of Pakistan. PTI nominated Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister of Punjab, Mahmood Khan as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Jam Kamal Khan as Chief Minister of Balochistan. The party also appointed governors: Chaudhry Sarwar as Governor of Punjab, Imran Ismail as Governor of Sindh, and Shah Farman as Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Prime Minister Imran Khan formed his cabinet, with key positions like Minister of Finance entrusted to Asad Umar and Minister of Foreign Affairs to Shah Mehmood Qureshi. 2024 general elections Several senior PTI leaders were imprisoned in the run-up to the elections in connection with the May 9 riots, on allegations of inciting violence and participating in attacks on government and military installations, including police stations and the Corps Commander House, Lahore, also known as Jinnah House. PTI was denied its election symbol after the Election Commission ruled that the party had failed to conduct valid intra-party elections under the Election Act, 2017, a decision later upheld by the Supreme Court in the PTI intra-party elections case. In January 2024, PTI, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and the election watchdog Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) raised concerns about pre-poll irregularities. PTI alleged that a crackdown and restrictive measures severely hindered its ability to campaign for the elections. PTI claimed that it had emerged as the single largest party and alleged that results in several constituencies were manipulated, asserting that Form 47 results for 18 National Assembly seats were falsely changed by returning officers, resulting in reduced vote counts for PTI-backed candidates. PTI-affiliated candidate Yasmin Rashid claimed that she defeated three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in NA-130 Lahore-XIV and alleged that the election results in the constituency were manipulated. PTI claimed that its backed candidates would have won as many as 180 National Assembly seats in the absence of alleged electoral manipulation, compared with the 93 seats won by PTI-backed candidates. Rehana Dar, a PTI-backed independent candidate, claimed that Khawaja Asif lost the election in NA-71 Sialkot-II according to Form 45, but was declared the winner in Form 47, and challenged the result in court. ==Presence across provincial assemblies==

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI has ruled with a majority government three times. PTI ruled from 2013 to 2018 under the Pervez Khattak administration, from 2018 to 2023 under Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and from 2024 to the present under the Gandapur ministry. In the 2024 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election, Independent candidates allied with PTI won 86 seats. Subsequently, Ali Amin Gandapur was elected as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on PTI's behalf. Out of these 86 seats, 58 are officially recognized as PTI members by the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Election Commission of Pakistan, while the remaining seats are officially Independents. From 2018 to 2022 PTI served as the largest and ruling party in Punjab, with Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister of Punjab. From 2024 to the present PTI is serving as the opposition party in the Punjab Assembly. In the 2024 Punjab provincial election, Independent candidates allied with PTI won the second-most seats, though the party claims it won the first-most seats without rigging. Out of this, 29 have been recognized as PTI members by the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Election Commission of Pakistan, Sindh In the southern province of Sindh, PTI has been the largest opposition party once, from 2018 to 2022, with Firdous Shamim Naqvi and Haleem Adil Sheikh as Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh. PTI is currently serving as an opposition party in Sindh since 2024 after PTI-backed members won 10 seats. Out of these, 6 are recognized as PTI and 4 are recognized as members of the Sunni Ittehad Council. PTI has alleged that 38 Sindh Assembly seats, many of which are in Karachi were rigged in the 2024 Sindh provincial election against it, in favor of MQM-P and PPP. PTI has been found to win most of its seats in Karachi. It also holds a political alliance with the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) against PPP. ==Controversies==

Foreign funding case Imran Khan was arrested due to the case, and Pakistani court rejected a petition by PTI. Protests and civil disobedience PTI launched its first dharna on 14 August 2014. The party was involved in laying siege and paralyzing the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad, to stop the Government from functioning. PTI was charged with targeting Pakistan Television and parliament, as well as law enforcement. The party founder, Imran Khan, burned his utility bills to encourage participants to join his protest against rising electricity prices. Justice Wajihuddin tribunal PTI's former leader and head of the party's election tribunal investigated corruption and fraud, as well as internal election rigging within PTI. His tribunal expelled Secretary-General Jahangir Tareen, PTI's KPK Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, and senior leader Nadir Laghari for manipulating intra-party polls. It also reported fraud in party funds. Later, Wajihuddin was expelled from the party by Imran Khan. Attacks on journalists and harassment of women by alleged PTI supporters PTI supporters have been reported to have attacked media personnel during their protest demonstrations. Several female journalists have reported harassment by party workers. The harassment of women has also been reported at PTI's gatherings. During PTI's public protests, Geo News DSNGs had to remove their stickers to escape vandalism by party workers. PTI workers also attacked the Geo News Islamabad office. Allegations of conspiracy to dissolve government using judiciary PTI's former president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, has alleged that Imran Khan was conspiring with the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Nasirul Mulk. to dissolve the government of Nawaz Sharif. Accusation of anti-state violence Following the arrest of Imran Khan on 9 May 2023, the supporters and workers of PTI allegedly targeted Pakistan Army's installations. The protesters broke into the regional commander's house in Lahore and burned the building. They also attempted to enter GHQ's gate in Rawalpindi. In Peshawar, the building of Radio Pakistan was set on fire by the protesters, who also shouted slogans against the army and military officials. However, Imran Khan and his party denied their involvement in the violence and accused secret agencies of framing the party for anti-army violence. Reportedly, thousands of PTI workers have been arrested due to their alleged involvement in violent attacks on government institutions across the country after 9 May. In response to the attacks, the Pakistan Army called 9 May a dark chapter in the country's history and claimed that PTI "has done what enemies could not do in 75 years." Meanwhile, PTI alleges that the incidents of 9 May were a false flag operation designed by the Pakistani establishment to disintegrate PTI and frame Imran Khan. ==See also==