Three more PTI leaders jump ship over May 9 violence

LAHORE: Three more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have parted their ways with the party over May 9 violence, wherein military installations including military’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Corps Commander House Lahore were attacked, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to details, the three PTI leaders – who parted ways with party – are former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Muhammad Iqbal Wazir, former Balochistan minister Mubeen Khilji and Malik Jawad, former MNA from Orakzai.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Mubeen Khilji announced he is parting ways with the PTI in protests against the May 9 violence.

“We wanted peaceful protests,” he said, condemning the vandalism following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.

Khilji claimed that he was not pressurised into taking the decision, instead elaborated that the reason behind leaving the party was the ‘nation’s security’. “We cannot under any condition remain a party to the violence that took place on May 9,” he added.

READ: ANOTHER PTI LEADER QUITS PARTY OVER MAY 9 VIOLENCE

Muhammad Iqbal Wazir – while addressing a press conference – said that he was resigning from PTI’s basic membership and North Waziristan’s district presidency.

“My consciousness will never allow to me stay with a political party that is going against state institutions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Malik Jawad – while announcing to quit the party – condemned the violence that took place on May 9 following the arrest of PTI chief.  “I cannot support a political party, which attack the military installations,” he added.

Protests

Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week.

The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers are agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.

Army installations and Corps Commander’s house in Lahore came under attack during a protest of PTI workers.