Pervez Khattak steps down from PTI post

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Pervez Khattak has announced his resignation from all positions of the party in the wake of May 9 incidents following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.

While addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Khattak said that “nothing good happened on May 9… I have condemned the incident before, may Allah prevent such an incident from happening again.”

He said that the political environment of the country is bad. “I have decided to leave the post of the party… I will decide about the future course of action after consulting with friends”.

It should be remembered that Pervez Khattak was the provincial president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He served as K-P chief minister during the PTI tenure from 2013 to 2018.

It may be noted that since the May 9 incident, more than 100 leaders and lawmakers of PTI have parted ways with the party, while Asad Umar has announced his resignation from the post of the party.

Also read: PTI President Pervaiz Elahi arrested in Lahore

The PTI found itself in hot waters following the events of May 9, when in an unprecedented show of vandalism, protesters allegedly belonging to the party, vandalised public and state properties and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

The attack occurred hours after the paramilitary Rangers arrested PTI chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case – later retitled as National Crime Agency £190 million scandal – on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau, from the Islamabad High Court premises.

The rioting was followed by a harsh crackdown against the former ruling party leaders and workers that still continues.

A day earlier, former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry along with his former colleagues, Imran Ismail, Amir Kiani and Mahmood Maulvi, visited the Adiala Jail and met PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi for about 90 minutes.

The meeting came as disgruntled PTI leader Jahangir Tareen is reportedly set to announce formation of a new political party.