LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s eight former MPAs on Thursday announced quitting the party alleging its involvement in violent protests, vandalism and arson after the arrest of Imran Khan on May 9.

The PTI, however, says all these politicians were denied party tickets for the upcoming general elections in Punjab – allegedly on corruption charges.

The former MPAs and other party office-bearers held a press conference at Multan Press Club to show dissent over the PTI’s anti-army narrative. The members include Zaheeruddin Khan Alizai, Aun Dogar, Abdul Hai Dasti, Malik Mujtaba Niaz Gishkori, Alamdar Husain Qureshi, Sajjad Hussain Cheena and Sardar Qaisar Abbas Khan Magsi and Ashraf Rind.

They said the PTI was involved in damaging state property especially army installations during the protest against Mr Khan’s arrest and committed treason.

Party says they were denied election ticket over graft charges

They said they were quitting the party to stand with the army.

Earlier, former MPA Alamdar Husain Qureshi from Muzaffargarh had joined Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as the PTI did not give him a ticket in PP-273. The PTI [first] fielded Iqbal Khan Pitafi, later cancelled the ticket and gave it to Imran Dhanotar.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had raided the house of former provincial adviser to chief minister on health Abdul Hai Dasti and recovered millions of rupees from his house. The party did not allot him the ticket and made Jam Younis advocate its candidate.

The PTI also did not field Qaiser Khan Magsi for PP-282 over corruption and land grabbing allegations and allotted ticket to retired Col Shoaib Ameer Awan.

Mr Alizai also failed to get the party ticket [PP-214] and it was allotted to Mueen Qureshi. Aun Dogar was dropped for PP-274 on allegation of corruption in local government and Jamshed Dasti was made candidate.

Ashraf Rind also failed to get ticket [PP-270] over corruption allegations and it was awarded to Khalida Mohsin.

However, Malik Mujtaba Niaz Gishkori was given PP-271 ticket, who left the party over the attack on army installations.

Mujahid Maitla and Sajjad Cheena, who were office-bearers of the party, also announced to leave the party.

PTI sources claimed that Maitla and Cheena might have found it appropriate to leave the party because they were not given tickets in 2013, 2018 and 2023.

Most of the MPAs, who belonged to Junoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz (JPSM), had entered the PTI fold before the 2018 general election under a deal to create a new province in south Punjab within 100 days [if voted to power]. But the MPAs after returning to the assembly did not submit any resolution to create the south Punjab province.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023