Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, 70, was ousted from power in April last year (File)
Islamabad:
Jai Prakash, a prominent Hindu leader and minority member of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, resigned on Friday, making him the latest politician to leave the former prime minister’s party following the May 9 attacks on the country’s military installations and government buildings. became. ,
Following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman Imran Khan on 9 May, violent protests broke out in several cities across the country, during which several government properties were damaged.
Imran Khan’s supporters stormed the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and set fire to the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore.
Jai Prakash was elected to the National Assembly in the 2018 general election as a candidate of the PTI party on a seat reserved for minorities.
Addressing the media on Friday, the PTI minority wing chairman strongly condemned the protests on 9 May, saying “Pakistan exists because of the army, and we exist because of Pakistan”.
Samaa TV quoted him as saying, “I had no intention of leaving the party until May 8.” He said that he is resigning without any pressure.
On Monday, PTI’s former Sindh governor Imran Ismail alleged that Jai Prakash was picked up from his residence by “over 40 masked men”.
Jai Prakash’s resignation comes amid the resignation of senior leaders from PTI.
Earlier on Friday, Mubeen Khilji, who held the post of provincial minister in the PTI government, also left the former prime minister’s party.
In a press conference, Mubeen Khilji said that he was parting ways with PTI because of the May 9 violence.
Condemning the vandalism that followed Imran Khan’s arrest, he said, “We wanted a peaceful protest.”
Police put the death toll in the violent clashes at 10, while Imran Khan’s party claimed 40 of its workers were killed in firing by security personnel.
On Monday, top military officials vowed to bring to justice the arsonists who attacked civilian and military installations through trials under the country’s relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
Law enforcement agencies have arrested over 7,000 PTI activists across Pakistan, of which 4,000 are from Punjab province.
Imran Khan, the 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, was ousted from power in April last year after he lost a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy to target him because of it. Independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)