KARACHI – Former Sindh governor Imran Ismail on Saturday announced an end to his affiliation with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and resigned from all party positions.
Addressing a press conference, Ismail said, “I have decided that I am resigning from positions of the PTI, as I am the additional secretary general and a member of the core committee. I am also leaving the PTI … Khan sahib I bid adieu to you and PTI.”
Ismail said he had no role in May 9 riots and rallies and that he had taken the decision to leave the PTI after much thought and my acquittal, “when I have no fear of being jailed”. He said, “I am not sure whether I will continue politics or not.”
Unlike other party leaders reaffirming their family linkages to the military while announcing their departure from the party, Imran Ismail said he was not “interlinked” with the army and his family had no soldier. “But my heart is with Pakistan. How can I say I have no relation with the army if my family has no soldier? I have a link and a relation. I wanted to go into the Pakistan Air Force,” he elaborated.