By India Today World Desk: In another major blow to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, senior politician and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday resigned from the party.
Taking to Twitter, he said, “[With] ref[erence] to my earlier statement where I unequivocally condemned 9th May incidents, I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore, I have resigned from party position and parting ways from Imran Khan.”
Fawad joins a long list of PTI leaders who have announced quitting PTI following the May 9 vandalism and violent protests across the country.
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So far, Dr Shireen Mazari, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Malik Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, Amir Kayani, Jai Prakash, Aftab Siddiqui and Sanjay Gangwani among many others, have left Imran Khan’s party.
Fawad Chaudhry was arrested earlier in May along with other party leaders for “inciting arson and violent protests under a thought-out plan for threatening peace”, as per Islamabad police. The protests broke out after the arrest of Imran Khan by Pakistani rangers outside the Islamabad High Court.
He was later released by the Islamabad High Court.
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VIOLENCE OVER IMRAN KHAN’S ARREST
On May 9, PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises, triggering unrest in Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the protesters stormed the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also torched a corps commander’s house in Lahore.
Imran Khan was arrested by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers in a corruption case while he was at the Islamabad HC premises that triggered unrest across the country. Khan, who faces over 100 cases, was later released on bail and has received protective bail against arrest in all cases.
Following the violent protests, several PTI leaders and party workers were arrested as part of the crackdown launched by the Pakistan government on PTI supporters.
PAK GOVERNMENT CRACKS DOWN ON PTI
Earlier in an address, the PTI chief, Imran Khan, who faces over 100 cases across the countryhad said the government is involved in a deliberate crackdown against his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and its workers.
“Whoever is from PTI, is on the government’s wanted list. I told the government team that I cannot allow police officials to search my house. Then they said that they’re looking for people who vandalised buildings. They need to give us proof and if there are people of PTI involved, then we will help them find those,” Imran Khan said in a non-televised address.
Many PTI workers and leaders face cases of vandalism of government and military establishments.
ASAD UMAR GIVES UP PTI GENERAL SECRETARY POST
After Fawad Chaudhry quit the party, former finance minister and PTI central general secretary Asad Umar quit his post after 15 days of imprisonment.
Asad Umar only left his party position, not PTI. He said, “There’s no pressure on him.”
SHIREEN MAZARI QUITS PARTY
On Tuesday, Shireen Mazari, an aide of the former Pakistan prime minister, announced her decision to leave Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaffollowing the May 9 attack on the country’s military installations and government buildings.
Shireen Mazari’s resignation from PTI came hours after she was released from a prison on the orders of a top court. Mazari, 72, who has been a vocal critic of Pakistan’s military and the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was arrested five times in over 10 days.
Following her resignation, Mazari said, “I have told all my people, office workers, party officials and all those who are in trouble to stay underground. Don’t highlight yourself if that helps you.”
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