Sources said that disgruntled leaders refused to back down even after holding two meetings with KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Gandapur threatened that he would request the authorities to delay elections, which are slated for Monday. However, the rival group refused to budge.

Angry members, including Irfan Saleem, Khurram Zeeshan and Ayesha Bano, held a meeting in Peshawar and announced that they would contest the elections at any cost.

They said that only the list prepared by the PTI founder is acceptable, and they will not listen to anyone else.

In a video statement, Ayesha Bano called the current Senate election “part of efforts to make the 27th Constitutional Amendment a success”.

Khurram Zeeshan said that “the game being played in the Senate elections will not be allowed to succeed by this nexus.”

He claimed that he was being threatened, but he would not give in to any pressure.

Irfan Saleem also said that what is happening in the Senate elections is against party principles.

Meanwhile, some PTI members of the KP Assembly also came out in favour of Irfan Saleem. MPAs, including Tariq Aryani and Shakeel Khan, announced that they would vote for Irfan Saleem.

Members of the KP Assembly maintained that they stood firm with Irfan Saleem. PTI sources say that Shakeel Khan has differences with the KP chief minister.

Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also tried to convince the disgruntled members twice, but no progress could be made.

The sources said the party leadership has decided to issue a show-cause notice to the rebel group.

On the other hand, talking with Aaj News, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi clarified that “senators will be elected according to the list released by the PTI founder.”