- Says will decide about future line of action after consultation with ‘friends’
- PTI general secretary in a tweet alleges Khattak, along with Asad Qaiser, was detained
ISLAMABAD: the close confidant of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of the party, Pervez Khattak on Thursday announced stepping down from the party position.
Pervez Khattak made the announcement in a video statement, saying he had taken the decision after “consulting friends.”
Khattak, who id the president of PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, said he was resigning from the party position and he would decide the future course of action after further consultation with “friends and party workers”.
He also said “propaganda” being played on television was “not right” and he had taken the decision after careful consideration.
The PTI leader said that he had already condemned the attacks on military installations on May 9 after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan, saying what happened on May 9 was not good for the country and it should not be repeated.
He said that it is difficult for him to continue holding the party position in the prevailing political environment of the country that’s why he announced his resignation from the position of president PTI KP.
Another party leader Asad Qaiser was also briefly seen in the video but did not speak.
Prior to his announcement, PTI General Secretary Omar Ayub had alleged in a tweet that Khattak, along with another party leader Asad Qaiser, had been detained.
“Pervez Khattak sahib and Asad Qaiser sahib, senior PTI members and part of the notified PTI negotiation committee, have been detained. They were lured on the pretext of meeting them to conduct negotiations,” he tweeted.
The PTI chairman had also alleged the same, saying that the two leaders “called for a meeting by the intelligence agencies and then illegally detained in a safe house […] to quit PTI for their release”.
Earlier in the day, PTI President Pervaiz Elahi was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) officials and a police team from his residence, Zahoor Palace, in Lahore.
He was shifted to an undisclosed location by the police and ACE teams. The PTI president was booked in corruption cases in Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala.
The PTI president’s residence was raided by ACE and police officials multiple times since the cancellation of his bail.
Police said that a case was lodged against Pervaiz Elahi under different sections including ATA. They added that he was wanted to police after the bail cancellation. “After ACE, police will take action against Pervaiz Elahi,” they said.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Amir Bakhsh Bhutto and Allah Bux Unar along with their companions quit the party.
While talking to the journalists, Amir Bakhsh Bhutto condemned May 9 incidents and termed the attacks on military installations terrorism. He added that he has already excused from taking part in politics.
Meanwhile, former PTI MNA from Multan Muhammad Ibrahim Khan decided to quit politics.
As per details, former MNA Ibrahim Khan said that he started his politics in 2022 when he was elected from NA 158.
He condemned the May 9 attack on the military installations and public buildings and said that he personally decided to leave politics.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) General Secretary Yasir Humayun Sarfaraz earlier decided to quit his party over the May 9 violence.
It is pertinent to mention here that dozens of PTI lawmakers and members have parted their ways with the party following the May 9 violence, wherein military installations including General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Corps Commander House Lahore were attacked after the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.
May 9 events
Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was arrested at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday.
The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers are agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.
Army installations and Corps Commander’s house in Lahore came under attack during a protest of PTI workers.
