Karachi (Web Desk): Former Sindh governor and one of the founders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Ismail on Saturday announced to quit after resigning from all party positions.
Addressing a press conference following his release, the former Sindh governor condemned the May 9 protests that erupted after PTI Chairman Imran Khan's arrest, spoke in support of the Pakistan Army and criticised the former ruling party's anti-establishment tirade.
"I resign from all positions in the PTI and step down from the basic membership of the party. However, whether my political career has ended or not, I have not made a final decision on that. Khan Sahib, I bid you and PTI farewell," the former Sindh governor said.
Imran Ismail said he had not participated in May 9 riots and rallies and that he had taken the decision to leave the PTI after much thought and following his acquittal, “when I have no fear of being jailed”.
“I am not sure whether I will continue politics or not, he said.”
Ismail joins the long list of PTI members who were quitting the former ruling party.
Earlier in the day, PTI Sindh president Ali Zaidi and former federal minister Makhdoom Khushro Bakhtiar also made announcements of parting ways with the former ruling party.
Meanwhile, in separate news conferences, Former MPA Hashim Dogar, former MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz announced to quit the party following the May 9 vandalism and violent protests across the country.
Other PTI leaders who announced to leave party include Taimur Bhatti and Chaudhry Ikhlaq.
They said our army is our pride and the entire nation stands by Pakistan's armed forces.
Moreover, PTI leaders Dr Akhtar Malik and Mian Tariq Abdullah have also announced quitting PTI and strongly condemned the violent incidents on May 9.
Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, they said that May 9 will always be remembered as a black day in the history of Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that the violent protests erupted across the country on May 9 after Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
Following the protests, the government launched a massive crackdown against PTI leaders and workers, and rounded up thousands of people on charges of attacking civil and military installations.
As the crackdown intensified, dozens of PTI leaders, including close confidants of Imran Khan, started jumping ship in what was described by the PTI chief as “forced divorces".
Several party leaders and lawmakers, including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Aamir Kiani, Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, Aftab Siddiqui, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Maleeka Bokhari, Jamshed Cheema, Musarrat Cheema, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Murad Raas, Abrar and others announced leaving the PTI.
