Major Setback for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as Senior Leaders Resign

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) faced a significant setback as Shireen Mazari and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan announced their resignation from the party led by Imran Khan on Tuesday. This comes in the aftermath of the destructive events that unfolded on May 9, leading to the departure of several experienced leaders from the PTI.

Prominent figures within the party, such as Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Malik Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, and Aftab Siddiqui, publicly condemned the attacks on state institutions and declared their separation from the party following the mayhem on May 9.

Shireen Mazari, a former federal minister and a close aide to Khan, expressed her condemnation of the rioting that took place on May 9. During a press conference in the capital city, she strongly denounced the violence and affirmed her consistent stance against all forms of aggression.

Mazari not only renounced her affiliation with the PTI but also announced her withdrawal from politics altogether. She cited her health deterioration during the twelve days of detention and declared her decision to prioritize her children and parents. However, However, However, Mazari continued to condemn violence directed towards key symbols of the state, including the GHQ, parliament, and the Supreme Court. She also shared her daughter’s distressing experience during her repeated arrests, recounting a video in which her daughter was seen crying heavily.

Additionally, Mazari disclosed that she had submitted an affidavit to the Islamabad High Court, pledging her non-participation in future violent protests. Over the past few days, the senior PTI leader had faced multiple detentions in response to the May 9 riots triggered by the arrest of a former prime minister in the Al-Qadir Trust case. In addition, she had been rearrested after being granted parole by a Gujranwala court in a case involving the vandalism and attacks on defense and public installations, such as the Lahore Corps Commander’s House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, during the violent protests.

Shortly after Mazari’s press conference, Fayyazul Chohan, another PTI leader, addressed the media and announced his departure. Chohan vowed to expose elements he deemed anti-Pakistan and clarified that no PTI leader present on May 9 could have prevented the violence among party members. Chohan criticized Imran Khan’s “anti-establishment” rhetoric, emphasizing that politicians should not oppose state institutions. He revealed that he had been marginalized within the party over the past year, recounting an instance where he was denied permission to meet Imran Khan in Zaman Park. Chohan stated his resignation from the party while expressing his commitment to serving the country and remaining involved in politics.

In response to the departure of these PTI leaders, Imran Khan asserted that they were compelled to leave the party. Khan extended his sympathies to those forced to abandon the party under pressure through his official Twitter account. However, he commended and saluted the senior members who resisted the intense coercion to leave the PTI.

Following the events of May 9, the National Security Committee (NSC), comprising the country’s top civilian and military leaders, pledged to prosecute the culprits under all applicable laws, including the Army Act. As a result, numerous party workers nationwide have been detained for their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots. Despite a court order for their release, the party’s vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and secretary general, Asad Umar, remain in jail.