Wednesday May 24, 2023
In the latest blow to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, its senior vice-president Fawad Chaudhry announced a "break from politics" and parted ways with PTI chairman Imran Khan over the May 9 mayhem in which party workers and supporters attacked the public and the army. installation almost all over the country.
"I am parting ways with Imran Khan and resigning from the party position," he tweeted on Wednesday, following the mass exodus of leaders from the party over the May 9 vandalism.
Chaudhry - a politician hailing from the Jhelum - is a vocal critic of the incumbent rulers and a close associate of the PTI chief. He also served as Minister of Information and Law during his party's government.
The PTI chief spokesman was referring to his earlier statement in which he "unequivocally condemned" the violent protests on May 9 triggered by the arrest of party chief Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Ref. My earlier statement where I unequivocally condemned 9th May incidents, I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore, I have resigned from party position and parting ways from Imran Khan
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 24, 2023
Chaudhry's decision came a week after he was released from police custody on the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), describing the events of May 9 as "extremely shameful".
"Pakistan exists because the Pakistan Army exists and we have to design our policies to keep that point of view at the forefront," the politician said while speaking to reporters outside the IHC after midnight on May 17.
He was among thousands of party workers and leaders arrested in a crackdown against the PTI since May 9 for the party's alleged involvement in riots that left at least 10 dead and dozens injured.
Since his release from jail, the outspoken PTI leader has kept a low profile and has not made any political statements.
Several party leaders and legislators – including Shireen Mazari, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Malik Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, Aftab Siddiqui, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan – publicly condemned the attacks on state facilities and announced their departure from the former ruling party since the 9th vandalism.
A close associate of Imran Khan, Mazari had announced a day earlier that she had decided to leave the party for the sake of her family.
At a press conference in the federal capital, Mazari - the former federal minister, like other outgoing leaders, condemned the May 9 riots, adding that she was the sole parent of her children after the death of her husband. "My children and parents are [now] my priority," she noted.
Tensions between Khan and the government have escalated following attacks on military installations, with the military and incumbents vowing to try violent protesters in military courts, a move that drew criticism from human rights groups.
Earlier today, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the federal government was considering banning the PTI after receiving evidence that the party's supporters had carried out "pre-planned" and "coordinated" attacks on public property and military installations.
