LAHORE, Oct 21: Another stalwart of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf said goodbye to the party for what he said imposing Musharraf’s cronies on ideological workers of the PTI.

“Companions of former army ruler Pervez Musharraf have assumed control of the party and have introduced the philosophy that has no link with the PTI’s established viewpoint,” Admiral (retired) Javed Iqbal, an old guard of the party, told a press conference here on Sunday.

He said the turning point in the working class party’s strategy came on Oct 30, 2011, when it completely deviated from its ideological path.

He alleged that people having influence on the party policies were not ready even to listen to the ideological stalwarts.

“The foreign minister of Musharraf regime (a reference to Khursheed Kasuri) is now formulating PTI foreign policy. People dealing with the party’s important policies are those who have been in power when the US carried out drone attacks in Pakistan and they remained silent on the unlawful act.”

It is second blow to the PTI after the resignation of its senior leader Dr Shirin Mazari.

Iqbal said he had joined the party in 2004 because of its revolutionary programme and not because of Imran Khan. He said he had no differences with the party chairman but could not accept the existing party policies. He predicted more departures from the party on identical grounds.

The admiral who had allegedly sold the title of Bahria to a real estate tycoon and got benami share in the private housing schemes, lamented that the PTI leadership showed apathy towards his services and sacrifices as he had stood with Imran Khan and his party when no body was ready to consider it as a political entity.

“Notwithstanding the opposition from all quarters I worked for the PTI for over eight years but no one recognized my sacrifices.”

He told a questioner that he had raised voice against the “opportunist” leaders in several party meetings but was silenced by Imran Khan himself under the influence of the so-called “electables”.