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Aftab Siddiqui, a MNA and president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi, on Sunday announced he is exiting the party over “differences of opinion” arising from the May 9 riots, as a leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed some deserters of its rival party have expressed an interest in joining it.
In a series of posts on Twitter, Siddiqui said he was distancing himself from politics and would be resigning from Parliament as well as his position in the PTI. “I started my career as an engineering professional and with the blessing of Allah established myself as a well reputed and honorable businessman over the past three decades,” he said. “I have dedicated my professional successes to the betterment and welfare of the community and the country at large,” he said, adding that he had always desired to see a prosperous Pakistan.
“As a peaceful citizen and a true patriot, the violence that took place in the events on May 9 and the attack on national monuments and Yaadgaar-e-Shahuda, has left me dismayed and I condemn the same,” he wrote. “I have decided to step aside from politics, and therefore, I am resigning from my position as president PTI Karachi and my position as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. [I] will continue to serve my country in my individual capacity working for the betterment of the people and as a businessman contributing to the economy,” he added.
He subsequently issued a video statement confirming that he had decided to quit politics and all offices associated with it. “I want to serve my country in different capacities,” he added.
There has been a growing exodus from the PTI amidst an ongoing crackdown against the party over attacks on military installations and buildings after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan on May 9. Apart from Siddique, Karachi MNAs Mahmood Maulvi and Jai Prakash and MPAs Sanjay Gangwani and Imran Ali Shah have also announced their decision to exit the party.
Similarly, Ajmal Wazir and Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah from the PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter have announced they cannot continue with the party after the events of May 9. Former KP minister Hisham Inamullah Khan and former MNA Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai also announced they were exiting the party. On Monday, this trend continued with Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain announcing he was returning to the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid)’s fold and would no longer be a part of the PTI, which he had joined with Parvez Elahi earlier this year.
Referring to the spree of exits from the PTI, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday claimed some of the deserters had expressed interest in joining his party, but did not specify any names. “Some of the top PTI leaders are in contact with PPP and want to join our party,” he told a press conference, adding that no decision has been taken on this as yet. Clarifying that the people who wished to join the PPP had crossed a “red line,” he said they could not be permitted to join the PPP without approval of the party’s senior leadership.
He also urged PTI chief Imran Khan to engage in dialogue with his political rivals to resolve the situation, adding this would prove more fruitful than seeking meetings with foreign lawmakers to have them issue statements supporting him. On Saturday, a call between Khan and a U.S. congresswoman was leaked on social media in which the former prime minister can allegedly be heard urging her to issue a statement on the PTI’s behalf and against the “violations of fundamental rights.”