PESHAWAR: After facing humiliating defeat in the general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P) chairman Pervez Khattak has resigned from the party’s helm and also quit its membership owing to “health issues”.

Talking to Dawn, party spokesperson Ziaullah Bangash confirmed the resignation of Mr Khattak, saying the party’s central executive committee on Saturday approved his resignation.

“The CEC has also unanimously chose PTI-P’s vice-chairman Mamood Khan as the next chairman of the party,” he said.

“I hope this message finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I write to tender my resignation from the position of party chairman and membership, due to serious health issues,” reads the resignation Mr Khattak addressed to the CEC.

He also quits party’s membership

Mr Khattak said in his resignation this decision had not been an easy one and it was with deep regrets that he was stepping down from the responsibilities entrusted to him. “Over the past months, it has been an honour and a prestige to serve as party chairman. However, due to health reasons I find myself unable to fulfill the duties and obligations of this rule to the best of my abilities,” he stated in his resignation.

A few days ago, social media and news channels reported the resignation of Mr Khattak, but he later on said he had no intention of quitting politics or abolishing his nascent political party.

The top leadership of the newly-carved out PTI-P failed to emerge victorious in the general elections. It secured only two seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Khattak along with his family members and top leadership of the party were routed in the electoral fray.

The results of the Feb 8 election were shocking for the two former chief ministers, Mr Khattak and Mahmood Khan, as both of them lost all their seats in home districts of Nowshera and Swat.

Mr Khattak and his son-in-law Imran Khattak contested elections on NA-33 and NA-34, respectively. However, they were defeated by PTI-nominated independent candidates.

Similarly, Khattak also contested on two seats of the provincial assembly, including PK-87 and PK-88, but was defeated on both seats by PTI-backed candidates.

Khattak’s two sons, Mohammad Ibrahim Khattak and Mohammad Ismail Khattak, contested on PK-85 and PK-86 in Nowshera, but like their father, the sons were also defeated by independents.

The newly-appointed PTI-P chairman Mahmood Khan was also defeated on PK-10 and NA-4 in his home town by PTI-sponsored candidates.

Despite boastful claims that he would be the next chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Khattak couldn’t attract significant number of electables to make the party’s chairman a potential candidate for the coveted slot.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2024