Another blow for Imran Khan as aide Fawad Chaudhry leaves Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

By India Today World Desk: In another major blow to Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, senior politician and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry resigned from the party on Wednesday.

On Twitter, he said: “[With] referee[erence] To my earlier statement in which I unequivocally condemned the incidents of May 9, I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore I have resigned my position in the party and parted ways with Imran Khan.”

Fawad joins a long list of PTI leaders who have announced their resignation from the PTI following the May 9 vandalism and violent protests across the country.

READ ALSO | Imran Khan’s party leader Fawad Chaudhry runs into court to avoid arrest | Look

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 in early May along with other party leaders for “inciting arson and violent protests under an elaborate plan to threaten the peace,” according to Islamabad police. The protests erupted after the arrest of Imran Khan by Pakistani rangers outside the Islamabad High Court.

He was later released by the Islamabad High Court.

READ ALSO | Imran Khan gets bail in Zaman Park violence, ‘hate speech’ cases

VIOLENCE DUE TO THE ARREST OF IMRAN KHAN

On May 9, PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested by paramilitary Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises, sparking riots in Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistani history, protesters stormed the Army Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also torched the house of a corps commander in Lahore.

Imran Khan was arrested by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers in a corruption case while at the Islamabad HC facility which sparked nationwide riots. Khan, who is facing more than 100 cases, was later released on bail and has received a protection against arrest bond in all cases.

Following the violent protests, several PTI leaders and party workers were arrested as part of the Pakistani government’s crackdown on PTI supporters.

PAK GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION AGAINST PTI

Earlier in a speech, PTI chief Imran Khan, who is facing more than 100 cases across the country, said the government is engaged in a deliberate crackdown on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and its workers.

“Whoever is from the PTI is on the government’s wanted list. I told the government team that I cannot allow the police to search my house. Then they said they are looking for people who vandalized buildings. if there are people from PTI involved, we will help them find them,” Imran Khan said in an untelevised address.

Many PTI workers and leaders face cases of vandalism of government and military establishments.

ASAD UMAR RESIGNS THE POSITION OF GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE PTI

After Fawad Chaudhry resigned from the party, former PTI Finance Minister and Central Secretary General Asad Umar resigned after 15 days in prison.

Asad Umar only left his post in the party, not the PTI. He said: “There is no pressure on him.”

SHIREEN MAZARI LEAVES THE PARTY

On Tuesday, Shireen Mazari, an adviser to Pakistan’s former prime minister, announced her decision to leave Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf, following 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 prison by order of a higher court. Mazari, 72, who has been an outspoken critic of the Pakistani army and the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was arrested five times in more than 10 days.

Following his 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 stand out if it helps you.”

READ ALSO | Imran Khan aide Shireen Mazari quits party over violent protests