In an extraordinary development that has thrown Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) into fresh turmoil, party insiders confirm that Imran Khan has privately instructed his core parliamentarians to “get ready” for resignations from the National Assembly — a strategic move aimed at dismantling any illusion of political cooperation with the establishment. While Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remains under his firm grip and is being deliberately held back as a political leverage point, this bold step has triggered an uproar within the party’s inner ranks, dividing PTI into two clear camps: the Hawks and the Doves.
The decision — dramatic, risky, and laden with far-reaching consequences — appears to be the culmination of months of backdoor negotiations, covert meetings, and intense pressure from the security establishment, which continues to push for a “minus-one” formula that would remove Imran Khan from the political equation.
A Decision Long Brewing
According to highly placed sources within Khan’s Bani Gala circle, the final straw came after multiple rounds of unfruitful talks facilitated by key establishment intermediaries — including former ISI operatives and a serving two-star general known for backchannel diplomacy. These meetings, held intermittently since the brief India-Pakistan skirmish in early 2025, were initially promising. The establishment had expressed “quiet appreciation” for PTI’s disciplined media cell, which had amplified Pakistan’s narrative during the digital war with India. This was seen as a potential thaw in the frosty relations.
But despite these nods, the security brass remained fixated on sidelining Khan permanently, citing his “unpredictability” and “emotional populism” as destabilizing factors in a fragile geopolitical environment. Their preferred solution? A domesticated PTI under a new, more pliable leadership — one acceptable to Washington and Riyadh.
Khan, however, wasn’t buying it.
“They offered us a seat at the table without a voice,” a senior PTI leader confided under condition of anonymity. “Imran told them, ‘Either I lead the movement, or there is no movement.’”
The Spiritual Pivot
Multiple insiders reveal that Bushra Bibi, Imran’s wife and spiritual advisor, played a pivotal role in shaping the former Prime Minister’s final decision. Reportedly, after several late-night istikhara sessions and consultations with her circle of mystics, she advised Imran to “detach from the cursed assembly” and “submit to divine timing.” According to a leaked segment from a private conversation, she warned Imran:
“The storm will clear only when you step outside the house of illusions. Your enemies cannot enter if you are not within their walls.”
Her influence — already controversial within the party’s modernist wing — has emboldened the Hawks while alienating technocratic Doves who are warning of political isolation and party fragmentation.
Hawks vs Doves: The Internal Uprising
As whispers of mass resignations circulate, PTI’s internal fault lines have become increasingly visible.
The Hawks, rallying behind Imran’s defiance, include:
Ali Muhammad Khan: Vocal about cutting ties with “compromised institutions.”
Murad Saeed: Reportedly told colleagues, “History will remember those who stood when standing meant exile.”
Hammad Azhar: Arguing that public sentiment is still overwhelmingly in Khan’s favor.
Dr. Shahbaz Gill: Reviving his hawkish rhetoric on private WhatsApp groups, urging total disengagement.
The Doves, meanwhile, are urging caution and include:
Asad Umar: Believed to have told Khan, “We will be walking into a trap that only benefits those who want PTI dismembered.”
Shireen Mazari: Cautiously supporting legal battles over political brinkmanship.
Pervez Khattak (though largely isolated): A proponent of regional negotiation.
Ali Zaidi: Trying to revive internal cohesion and advising against full-scale withdrawal.
“There’s a fear that this move will leave the playground to PMLN and PPP, while we wage a spiritual war with ghosts,” said one central executive committee member, privately siding with the Doves.
The Establishment’s Paradox
Despite reportedly appreciating PTI’s media discipline during the Indo-Pak standoff — especially when their own state media faltered — the establishment remains rigid on the “minus-one” requirement. Meetings between ISPR handlers and ex-PTI figures have continued even after the failed breakthrough in April. Legal barriers have been used as a secondary tactic: Imran’s meetings with his lawyers have been routinely delayed, while family visits remain tightly controlled.
Yet some intermediaries from the establishment are still urging restraint.
“They want him alive politically — just not dominant,” shared a former intelligence aide. “The fear is, if he resigns the assembly now and rallies the street, the entire democratic façade collapses.”
Asim Munir’s US Visit & The Looming Confrontation
Army Chief General Asim Munir’s high-stakes trip to Washington — reportedly including unofficial discussions with Trump advisors — is being viewed as an attempt to recalibrate the West’s understanding of Pakistan’s political theatre. Some insiders hint at Trump encouraging a “managed reintegration” of PTI without Imran — possibly with Shah Mahmood Qureshi or a new technocrat setup at the helm.
Sources close to Rawalpindi suggest that once Munir returns, an announcement of a new caretaker-like consensus framework could follow. But Khan’s resignation move could derail those plans altogether.
What’s Next: Khan’s Masterstroke or Meltdown?
If Khan executes the resignation plan, it could:
Trigger by-elections in dozens of seats, forcing the Election Commission into logistical chaos.
Create moral pressure on PTI members still in assemblies, especially in Punjab and KP.
Reignite street power, especially if KP is mobilized gradually as a launching pad.
Polarize party base, consolidating hardcore support while shedding middle-ground moderates.
Some believe that a major digital campaign — possibly echoing the “Haqiqi Azadi” narrative — is being readied to coincide with resignation announcements.
Privately, Khan is said to have told his aides:
“They are trying to silence me in the name of unity. But there is no unity without justice.”
Bushra Bibi’s Prophecy:
According to one spiritual confidant who’s had access to Bushra Bibi, she sees the months of July and August as “decisive,” marked by “an eclipse that will end one regime and revive the soul of another.” In her coded lexicon, this is being interpreted as the downfall of establishment-backed coalitions.
Whether this is divine foresight or political theatre remains to be seen.
Expect Field Marshal Munir’s return to be followed by attempts to defuse the situation. But if PTI’s resignations hit before a compromise emerges, Pakistan may face its most intense constitutional and political crisis since the fall of Nawaz Sharif. The establishment may then escalate legal cases or expedite disqualifications, but Khan’s gamble may shift the battlefield from courts to streets — a terrain where he still holds moral supremacy, at least for now.
Imran’s final play has begun. Whether it ends with a bang or a breakdown may depend not just on politics — but also on prophecy.
