MANSEHRA/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Two former lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf from Kohistan have parted ways with the party, saying they would announce their future political plans shortly.

Mohammad Didar Khan, who was elected MPA from PK-25, Upper Kohistan, and Mufti Abdul Ghaffar Shah, who was elected from PK-26, Lower Kohistan, in the 2018 general elections, formally parted ways with the PTI.

Mr Khan and Mr Shah were elected as independents, but later joined the PTI. “We both have decided to quit the PTI and would contest the upcoming general elections as independent candidates,” Mr Khan said.

He said that following the May 9 riots across the country, they couldn’t remain in PTI anymore, and decided to quit it. Mr Khan said that they wanted to work for the uplift of Kohistan people. Mr Shah also told reporters that they would jointly work for welfare of the people of their respective districts.

In Dera Ismail Khan, a major group of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, including some close to former federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur, on Wednesday quit the party over the May 9 incidents.

The prominent among those leaving the PTI were party’s district vice-president Irfan Khan Kamrani, youth wing vice-president Tahir Zaman Ustrana, Ratta Kalachi union council nazim Javed Wazir, district member Dera city Sheikh Akmal, social media head Anwar Khattak, former nazim Jahanzeb Javed, district member Khurram Shahzad, and workers Salahuddin Niazi and Hafeez Bhatti.

Addressing a joint press conference here, they condemned the May 9 riots.

Similarly, a group from Paharpur tehsil led by PTI’s former candidate for NA-44 Makhdoom Ali Raza Shah also announced to quit the party during a press conference.

Flanked by Mian Wadda union council nazim Syed Dilbar Hussain Shah, Syed Rizwan Shah and Gohar Rehman, Ali Raza condemned vandalism across the country following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan on May 9.

They said it had become difficult for them to remain part of such a party, which had ‘no’ political agenda but was ‘following’ an agenda against the national institutions.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2023