Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Abrarul Haq, Saifullah Niazi, Murad Raas and Firdous Ashiq Awan announced their decision on Friday to leave the party.

Addressing a presser in Lahore, Abrar ul Haq said: “I regret standing with Imran Khan.”

Haq said he grew up in a family with a political and military background, adding that when he was blessed “with fame by Allah”, and had a passion to do something for the motherland. Talking about his respect for the martyrs, the singer-turned-politician said that whenever he sees a photo of a martyr, he salutes it.

“In our medical college, education is free for the children of martyrs,” he added. Haq said that he has no “greed for fame or position”.

Haq stated that everyone condemned the May 9 incident, and his colleagues can testify that he strongly criticised the events on the same day of the riots. He explained that the purpose of entering politics was to carry out significant social work that would benefit the people. However, he added that the dream of doing social work in politics seemed unattainable now. “Why waste more time if it doesn’t contribute to serving the people effectively? Social work is so important to me that I am willing to leave politics for it.”

Meanwhile, in a separate press conference, another PTI leader Senator Saifullah Nyazee also announced that he was leaving the former ruling party. “Today, I am announcing my departure from PTI. I need to focus on my health,” he said, condemning the events of May 9. Niazi further said that Islam does not permit causing harm to public properties.

Earlier in the day, PTI leader and former Punjab education minister Murad Raas announced that he has quit the party. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Raas said no amount of condemnation was enough for what happened on May 9. “We never thought we would part ways with the party,” he said alongside other leaders, including Pir Ahmad Khagga, Raja Yawar Kamal and Chaudhry Adnan. He laid the blame for the party’s current predicament – facing intense criticism with scores of leaders and thousands of workers arrested across the country following the riots – on Khan’s advisers in Lahore. “We do not believe in the PTI’s politics of violence,” the former provincial minister said. Another PTI leader and former special assistant to the Punjab chief minister Firdous Ashiq Awan also announced her exit from the party. Condemning the May 9 violence, she claimed that it was planned at Khan’s Zaman Park residence.