ISLAMABAD: Imran Ismail, the former Sindh governor and his close aide parted ways with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Saturday, hours after an anti-terrorism court in Karachi ordered his release from prison.
Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi ordered Ismail’s release after furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000.
Over 70 lawyers and leaders from the party have parted ways with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) over the May 9 mayhem.
Top PTI leaders — including the party’s Secretary General Asad Umar, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry and former minister for human rights Shireen Mazari — have resigned.
Ismail, who knew Khan since his days as a cricketer, and someone who has always been at the forefront in defending him on television shows, made the announcement while addressing the press.
“I am resigning from all positions of the PTI. Khan sahib I bid adieu to you and PTI,” he said at a press conference.
On May 9, violent protests erupted after paramilitary Rangers arrested Khan,70, from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.
His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s House, the Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad in response to Khan’s arrest.
The mob also stormed the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi for the first time.
Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan’s party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.
Thousands of Khan’s supporters were arrested following the violence that the powerful Army described as a dark day in the history of the country.
Ismail categorically denied being part of the May 9 mayhem. He decided to part ways he was set free from prison.
“Whoever did the attack, we as a nation are united with one voice that there is an inquiry and they meted out exemplary punishment whether they’re from the PTI or not,” he said.
“I was among the four people who laid the foundation of the PTI, among its founding members and then a long struggle was before you there were many ups and downs in the struggle and we dreamed of a developing and prosperous Pakistan,” he said.
Ismail added he was not sure whether he would continue in politics.
Maryam Nawaz, Senior Vice President of PML-N party, told Khan that the “game is over” following an exodus of his party’s senior members.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said last week that those involved in attacks on military installations would be tried in the military courts while those charged with attacks on civilian targets would be prosecuted under civilian laws.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said that the government was mulling a possible ban on Khan’s PTI party following the attacks by his supporters on military installations after the former prime minister’s arrest.
Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.