Two bigwigs bid adieu to PTI

Qureshi still optimistic about party’s future

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD:

Two more PTI bigwigs – former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and ex-MNA Humayun Akhtar Khan – on Thursday left the party in a series of its leaders ditching Chairman Imran Khan in the wake of the May 9 violence.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, Sarwar said his family was affiliated with politics for almost 50 years.

“As far as the May 9 incidents are concerned, as a Pakistani, I say that the attackers of GHQ [Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters], [Lahore] corps commander’s residence [also known as Jinnah House] and martyrs’ memorials are guilty of anti-nationalism,” he added.

He continued that the miscreants had neither attacked the GHQ nor the corps commander’s residence but assaulted the very heart of Pakistan.

The former minister “condemned” all such intentions and actions, demanding “as a patriotic Pakistani” that the culprits be punished.

Sarwar criticised the “confrontation” with institutions.

He maintained that because of his disagreement with the PTI’s policy of confrontation, he had said at every forum of the party that it should refrain from clashes and not fight national institutions.

“However, whatever happened [on May 9] was unfortunate and on the basis of that, I declare my separation from the PTI,” he said.

Sarwar’s announcement came a day after he was arrested in connection with the May 9 mayhem.

Taking to Twitter, Humayun also announced his decision to part ways with the PTI.

“From the creation of Pakistan till today, our family has an eternal connection with Pakistan Army,” he wrote.

He added that he was proud of the army in which his father Akhtar Abdur Rahman, who had embraced “martyrdom”, was a general.

“This nation will never forget the blood and sacrifices of our martyrs,” he continued.

Humayun further wrote that like the entire nation, his family was also deeply saddened because of the events that took place on May 9, particularly the desecration of martyrs’ memorials.

The former MNA maintained that being the son of a martyr, what happened on May 9 was too painful for him to bear and no words were enough to condemn the events of that day.

Humayun wrote that in these circumstances, it was not possible for him to continue his affiliation with the PTI.

He added that the nation of Pakistan had always respected its armed forces immensely.

“I am sure that this loving relationship between the nation and its protectors will remain forever,” he concluded.

Read PTI leaders on a legal rollercoaster

However, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was still optimistic about the party’s future.

Talking to the media at the Peshawar High Court, Qureshi maintained that he still stood with the party “which had a bright future”.

“The ‘flag of justice’ (PTI) is still in my hands. I held this flag in 2011,” he added.

In an apparent reference to those who left the PTI, he claimed that only time would prove why they parted ways with the party.

“The PTI is a reality [and an] ideology, which was first accepted by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and now recognised by the whole country,” he continued.

Qureshi said he, accompanied by his fellow party leaders Asad Umar and Asad Qaiser, had arrived at the PHC as they feared being arrested and were granted transit bails.

“Tomorrow [Friday], we will appear before the Islamabad High Court,” he added.

The PTI vice chairman told the media that earlier in the day they had reached the IHC in connection with their protective bail application in a case registered against them at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station over the May 9 violence.

However, he claimed that they were stopped from entering the court premises by the police.

Their lawyer told the judge that his clients had reached the high court at 7:30am but the police personnel prevented them from entering the court.

He urged the court to watch the CCTV footage from the IHC gates.

The court adjourned the hearing, accepting the request of the lawyer to give time to Qureshi and Umar to appear till Friday (today).

The government launched a massive crackdown after protesters allegedly belonging to the PTI attacked government properties and military installations following the arrest of Imran by the paramilitary Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case on May 9.

Subsequently, several party leaders and workers were arrested and slapped with cases of inciting violence and spreading unrest, forcing them to quit the PTI.

Qureshi and Umar emerged as two key leaders who opted not to part ways with the party after their release from custody.

Nonetheless, following his release from jail last month, Umar stepped down from his role as the PTI secretary general.