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Pakistan

Asad Umar resigns as PTI secretary general

  • Says he is not under any pressure, leaving posts voluntarily
  • Makes case for political dialogue among stakeholders
Published May 24, 2023

In another major setback for Imran Khan, senior leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Asad Umar said he was resigning from his party positions, Aaj News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after being released from Adiala jail, Asad said after the events of May 9 it was not possible for him to keep the leadership positions within the PTI. “Therefore, I am withdrawing as secretary general of the party as well as membership of the party’s core committee.”

He also condemned the incidents of May 9, saying whatever happened on the day was very painful and highly commendable.

Asad said he will talk about four different things in his presser, which comes after 15 days of confinement in isolation.

He said almost everyone condemned the events of May 9 but "I want to talk in detail about why they were dangerous for the country.

"Lives were lost, people were injured and state and private installations were damaged. but perhaps the most dangerous thing was that installations associated with army were attacked.”

Asad said Imran Khan has always highlighted the importance of the army in Pakistan.

“Imran has said it multiple times that in Muslim countries you see destruction in past years, and that if disciplined and powerful army is not there in Pakistan, we would have to face same situation as Syria and Iraq,” he said.

Asad also highlighted the importance of dialogues among the political parties, saying the developments of the past 13 months have brought the country to the verge of destruction.

The much-anticipated press conference comes hours after the party's senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry also parted ways with PTI, saying he wanted to take a break from politics.

In a tweet, the former vice president of the PTI announced his resignation from the party position.

On Tuesday, two senior party leaders, Shireen Mazari, and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, announced they were leaving the party. On the same day, PTI’s Mian Jalil Sharaqpuri announced parting ways with the party and blamed former prime minister Imran Khan for the violence that ensued on May 9.

Earlier, after being released from the jail, Asad was whisked away from the jail’s back door in a private vehicle to avoid the media’s attention.

The IHC had earlier ordered the release of the PTI leader who was arrested after former PM Imran Khan's detainment.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb presided over the hearing today and directed Umar to submit a declaration. The judge also directed him to delete his incendiary tweets.

The IHC also warned that in case of violation of the declaration, the PTI senior leader should forget his political career.

He is the latest PTI leader to be released from jail. On Tuesday, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was re-arrested soon after being released from the Adiala Jail.

Confirming his arrest, the PTI Twitter handle said Qureshi was arrested after he refused to leave the party.

“I am with the party, I will stay with the party,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Qureshi was among the top PTI leaders arrested from Islamabad within 24 hours of the outbreak of violent protests following former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest as the government tightened the noose around the party.

Similarly, Fawad Chaudhry was also released on Islamabad High Court's (IHC) order. However, authorities attempted to arrest him which he avoided by running inside the court.

Meanwhile, several PTI leaders have left the party after being released from jail. On Tuesday, Dr Shireen Mazari and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan announced they were leaving the party.

MPA Bilal Ahmed Ghaffar from Karachi also announced he will leave the party and politics following the May 9 violence in which military installations were attacked.

Ghaffar announced his decision in a Twitter post, saying he had decided to quit after 12 years of active politics and working for the cause of a better country.

Comments

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S. May 24, 2023 11:15am
Mistri at work
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Pakistani1 May 24, 2023 11:57am
"The judge also directed him to delete his incendiary tweets." will this undo the harm caused by these tweets at that time? Restore property and bring back to life people who died?
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Sam May 24, 2023 02:06pm
But who is following the constitution! It has been hijacked by the crooks and compromised generals.
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Tulukan Mairandi May 24, 2023 02:59pm
Reformatting complete
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TimeToMovveOn May 24, 2023 10:00pm
In 1971 the split was geographical. In 2023 there will be a social split. Dejected PTIs will not see eye to eye with other citizens. Their hope and faith in the country tarnished for ever. The PDM people will come to power through hook or crook. Both PTI and PDM are disastrous for the Pak economy. But at least with PTI winning, it will show democracy exists. Now with all this banning and forced departures, there are no democracy in Pakistan. Get ready for another split.
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Jani Walker May 24, 2023 10:18pm
Software updated. IK's arrogance, hypocrisy and use of religion are his downfall. Hasta la vista.
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Jani Walker May 24, 2023 10:20pm
I suppose it is time for Mr Buzdar to be made general secretary of PTI.
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Shahid Khan May 24, 2023 10:21pm
Alas we have lost Pakistan in this melodrama. May Allah have it curse on those responsible for this mess
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Kashif ALI May 24, 2023 10:26pm
MQM and PTI were the two experiments post hanging of Bhutto, which went awry brutally. The only difference between the two is that PTI was nipped in the bud much quicker and effectively than MQM. Epitaph of PTI will read : PTI 2011 - 2023 OBITUARY: Now, PTI will be oriented back to its pure form. Sole MNA of PTI will be IK. That will be the party in its purest form. Each and other member was just like impurity added to it. Akbar S Babar stands vindicated for his foreign funding case. As a highly educated engineering professional having worked for 18 years in Corporate life myself, Asad Umer has been the sheer abysmal abject failure and disappointment. Being Engro's President, he should have stuck to his core expertise (Education, CSR) to bring about the change in Pakistan. Instead, he chose to do the politics of gawalmandi. He brought shame to genuine educated people of Pakistan.
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Asad Ali May 24, 2023 10:30pm
The country is no more the country a youth can want and live. May Allah bless our land of pure which is covered with impurities!
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Shahid Khan May 24, 2023 11:04pm
Nothing is more dangerous than loosing hope. Now we are hopeless
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aziz ahmed May 24, 2023 11:17pm
Congratulations to PDM.
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Shahid Khan May 25, 2023 01:27am
Not under any pressure seriously??
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Ash Chak May 25, 2023 04:59am
I am no means a supporter of PTI , but what is happening is very frightening. Whether you agree with Imran Khan or not, you have to unconditionally condemn the dismantling of a party that is the mouthpiece of a majority of Pakistanis. Just because the voice does not mirror that of the establishment does not mean it should be silenced. It’s time for Pakistanis to take back their country.
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Yusuf May 25, 2023 06:50am
@Sam, full marks to A, I & Z lobbies for using compromised generals (retired & active) for exploiting weakness of Pakistan's internal dynamics...and in the process exposed those who call themselves number one...
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