Violent protests erupted after Imran Khan was arrested by paramilitary Rangers on 9 May
Islamabad:
In another blow to Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, his close aide and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday resigned from his party, which is under pressure from the government over the May 9 violence.
Chaudhry’s resignation comes a day after former human rights minister Shireen Mazari quit 70-year-old Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and condemned the actions of the former prime minister’s supporters, who attacked sensitive defense installations across Pakistan on May 9. Did it and set it on fire.
He tweeted, “In my earlier statement where I had categorically condemned the events of May 9, I have decided to take a break from politics, hence I have resigned from the party post and parted ways with Imran Khan.” I am.”
Chowdhury served as the Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Minister of Science and Technology during his government. He was the Senior Vice President of PTI and the party spokesperson.
Mazari, 72, announced his resignation and retirement from active politics after being released from arrest for the fourth time since May 12 when he was picked up by the police from his residence in connection with the May 9 violence and sent to jail Went.
He served as the Minister of Human Rights from 2018 to 2022 under Khan’s administration.
Violent protests erupted after paramilitary Rangers arrested Khan from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises on 9 May.
Activists of his party vandalized a dozen military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, Mianwali Airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad, in response to Khan’s arrest.
The Army Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.
Police put the death toll in the violent clashes at 10, while Khan’s party claimed 40 of its workers were killed in firing by security personnel.
Thousands of Khan’s supporters were arrested following violence described by the powerful military as a “dark day” in the country’s history.
Several top PTI leaders, including Chowdhary and Mazari, were arrested in the wake of the unrest.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that those involved in attacks on military installations would be tried in military courts, while those accused of attacks on civilian targets would be tried under civilian laws.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that the government is considering a possible ban on Khan’s PTI party following attacks by his supporters on military installations following the former prime minister’s arrest.
Khan 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. was part of.
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