PTI leader Pervez Khattak steps down from party position

In another significant setback for Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Pervez Khattak announced that he was resigning from his party positions, Aaj News reported.

Khattak said he had made this decision after “consulting friends.”

“I will decide the future course of action after further consulting friends and party workers,” he announced.

He added that “propaganda” being played on television was “not right,” and he had made the decision carefully.

The development comes after former PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, and Mahmood Baqi Moulvi said they had contacted and held talks with the former and present leadership of the party, including Pervez Khattak.

The former leaders also said they aimed to solve current crises in the country.

Earlier in the day, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, former chief minister of Punjab and president of PTI, was arrested in Lahore.

After his arrest, son Monis Elahi said they would not bow down to the pressure and would continue to stand with the PTI.

Several high-profile PTI leaders have left the party since the May 9 riots and attacks on military installations.

Earlier, Asad Umar resigned from his party positions, saying after the events of May 9, he couldn’t keep the leadership positions within the PTI.

“Therefore, I am withdrawing as secretary general of the party and membership of the party’s core committee.”

Shireen Mazari, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, and several other PTI leaders left the party following May 9 events.