Four more Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders leave Imran Khan’s party – Times of India

ISLAMABAD: Four more leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have announced parting ways with Imran Khan’s party over the incidents that took place on May 9.
Former special assistant to prime minister Tariq Mehmood Al Hasan, former member of the provincial assembly (MPA) Malik Khurram Ali Khan and former member of the national assembly (MNA) Jamshed Thomas on Sunday condemned the protests that took place on May 9, Geo News reported.
Nadia Aziz, PTI MPA from Punjab, has also announced parting ways will Imran Khan’s party over the events that took place on May 9, Dawn reported.
While addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Press Club, Nadia Aziz condemned the attacks on military installations and stressed that the perpetrators should be brought to justice, Dawn reported.
Protests erupted in Pakistan after the arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust Case.
Several party leaders, including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry Imran Ismail, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Ali Zaidi, Maleeka Bokhari among others have left PTI in the past few days, Geo News reported.
Earlier this week, PTI chairman Imran Khan filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court against the imposition of Article 245 across the country except Sindh and the ongoing crackdown on the party workers in the wake of the May 9 riots, Geo News reported.
As per the news report, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and other ruling alliance leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman have been made respondents in the petition filed by Imran Khan in the apex court.
Imran Khan requested the court to declare the imposition of Article 245 invalid and ban the authorities from arresting party workers and leaders who are allegedly involved in ransacking state installations after his arrest on May 9, as per the Geo News report.
The petition requested the Supreme Court to stop the trial of civilians accused of targeting defence installations in military courts and called it a violation of fundamental rights. The petition also requested the Supreme Court to take action against the “forced separation” of PTI leaders.
On May 23, former Pakistan PM Imran Khan has called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders’ exodus as “forced divorces,” Geo News reported.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Imran Khan said that a new phenomenon of “forced divorces” has emerged for PTI.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan tweeted, “We had all heard about forced marriages in Pakistan but for PTI a new phenomenon has emerged, forced divorces. Also wondering where have all the human rights organizations in the country disappeared.”
Imran Khan’s statement comes as PTI leaders have been announcing their departure from the party. While leaving the party, the leaders have majorly cited PTI’s “policy of violence” as the reason behind their decision, as per the Geo News report.
Earlier on May 18, Imran Khan in a tweet stated, “My sympathies go to all those who under pressure have been made to leave the party. And I commend and salute all the senior members who are resisting the extreme pressure to quit the party. The nation will always remember them for standing up for Haqeeqi Azaadi.”