PESHAWAR/SWABI: Resignations from the embattled Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf are not slowing down as former minister Hisham Inamullah Khan of Lakki Marwat district and former MNA from Swabi district Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai on Saturday parted ways with former prime minister Imran Khan’s party citing the May 9 and 10 violent protests, especially arson attacks against government and military installations, as the reason.

Also in the day, former adviser to the KP chief minister Ajmal Khan Wazir announced in Islamabad that he had quit the PTI over violence after the arrest of Mr Imran in a corruption case.

On Friday, two former lawmakers from North Waziristan and Orakzai tribal districts exited the opposition party.

During a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Mr Hisham said he was saddened by the nationwide violent protests, especially destruction of the memorials to martyrs as well as attacks on government and military installations.

Ex-minister Hisham, ex-MNA Usman Tarakai cite recent riots as reason for move

“In view of the damage to public and private properties and military installations by violent protesters onMay9, I can’t remain silent and has decided to part ways with the PTI immediately,” he said.

The ex-minister was elected member of the provincial assembly as a PTI nominee from Lakki Marwat in the 2018 elections.

Accompanied by former woman MPA Nasreen Khattak, he said he had left the PTI on his own and not under any pressure.

Mr Hisham said that as a political worker, he had two goals i.e. reforms and provision of facilities to the people and therefore, he, as a minister, played his due role for the purpose.

He said that though his portfolio was changed in2019, he tried his best to serve the people of the constituency to fulfil his commitments.

The former minister said he didn’t join politics to become minister and would continue his struggle for reforms and people’s development.

He said he couldn’t be “disloyal” to those (armed forces), who had taken the responsibility of defending the country and sacrificing their lives for it.

“Security forces have matchless sacrifices for the protection of the motherland to their credit. I can’t stay part of a party, which attacked them and law-enforcement agencies and government and military installations,” he said.

Mr Hisham said May9 was a dark day in the country’s history as protesters burned the effigies of Nishan-i-Haider recipients Captain Karnal Sher Khan and Major Aziz Bhatti, Jinnah House in Lahore and Radio Pakistan and APP offices in Peshawar, attacked the GHQ and other military and civil installations, and ransacked public property.

He said the PTI chief was “morally bound” to visit all military installations after his release from custody to disown rioters and pay homage to martyrs, but he didn’t do so.

The former minister said the PTI leadership was on the warpath with military and other security institutions.

“I always opposed the PTI’s policy of confronting military and other national institutions. Unfortunately, Imran Khan and some leaders turned the party against state institutions that led to the May 9 disgraceful incidents,” he said.

Mr Hisham said he felt it an insult to remain associated with the PTI and therefore, he had tendered resignation from it.

Meanwhile, former MNA Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai said he had parted ways with the PTI as its chairman, Imran Khan, didn’t condemn the desecration of the graves of martyrs and attacks against the house of the Lahore corps commander and Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar.

“They [protesters] attacked the GHQ and corps commander’s house under a systematic plan,” he told reporters after visiting the mausoleum of Captain Karnal Sher Khan here.

Mr Tarakai is the uncle of former provincial minister Shahram Khan Tarakai and was elected MNA for the last three consecutive terms.

He said he suffered a lot politically for being neglected by the party leadership but put up with it.

The ex-MNA said the May 9 violence forced him to resign from the PTI.

“I’m not alone. All my supporters, too, have quit the PTI,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2023