LAHORE – As mass exodus from Imran Khan’s embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has begun, his supporters are just guessing who is going to quit next – Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar or Murad Saeed.
The second-tier leadership of the PTI had started jumping the ship a few days ago, especially after the May 9 riots. However, the top tier desertions have just started. Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari is one of the confidants of Imran Khan who announced quitting the party on Tuesday, citing health issues. Also on Tuesday, PTI leader Fayyazul Hassan Chohan left the party over the May 9 violence. Chohan had been a provincial minister in Punjab during PTI’s government in the province.
On Monday, former MPA and Punjab minister for religious affairs Pir Syed Saeedul Hassan announced his decision to part ways with the PTI. Addressing a press conference at the Gujranwala Press Club, Saeedul Hassan said he and the people of his constituency were hurt by the incidents of May 9.
On Sunday, the PTI suffered a blow when its MNA and Karachi chapter president Aftab Siddiqui quit the party over “difference of opinion”. He condemned the May 9 riots, which broke out across the country after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. Siddiqui said he would also resign from parliament. He announced this in a series of tweets.
The PTI has seen two of its MNAs and two Sindh Assembly members quit the party and parliament over May 9 riots.