- Says crackdown under way on his party across Pakistan without any investigation
- Says enforced divorces are happening and politicians being forced to quit PTI
LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday asserted that attempts were being made to ‘crush his party’ on the pretext of May 9 events, wherein military installations including Jinnah House in Lahore came under attack.
Addressing the party workers and supporters, the former prime minister lambasted the federal government for ‘imposing the law of the jungle’ in the country, saying that fundamental rights have been eliminated.
While condemning the events that took place on May 9 – the day he was arrested in Al-Qadir Trust, Imran Khan asked who will not condemn those incidents.
The PTI chief said he was first alerted about the protests of May 9 by Chief Justice in a Supreme Court hearing. “Who does not condemn? Have we ever said we don’t condemn? Will anyone want his own army to be weak?”
He alleged that there was a crackdown under way on his party across Pakistan without any investigation on the burning of the Lahore Corp Commander’s House – also known as Jinnah House.
“Attempts were being made to crush Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the pretext of May 9 events,” the former premier added.
Khan questioned why his party workers and supporters were being arrested everywhere if the burning of the Corps Commander’s House only took place in Lahore. “What have people in Karachi to do with it? Why are you catching people elsewhere?” he asked.
He further said that now enforced divorces are happening across Pakistan, adding that politicians were being forced to quit PTI. “It is thought that the party is being weakened by such acts,” he said.
Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan cancelled the basic membership of all leaders and office-bearers who had quit the party during the past few days.
Although several leaders have parted ways with PTI in the fallout of the May 9 violence, the most notable among them were senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry, former federal ministers Shireen Mazari, Aamer Mehmood Kiani and former adviser to PM Malik Amin Aslam.
It is not yet clear whether the PTI chief has revoked the membership of Asad Umar, who had stepped down as secretary general and a member of the core committee but had not quit the party altogether.
Mr Khan also ordered the removal of defectors who were part of the party’s core committee. They will no longer be part of PTI’s WhatsApp groups and the social media accounts will be updated to modify the references of the defectors.
Separately, in a statement on Thursday, the PTI chairman said his party’s leaders and workers were “facing the full force of state terror”.
