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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan stated on Wednesday that he is open to dialogue with “anyone who is in power” as several top leaders of his party continue to abandon ship following the riots on May 9.
Addressing his supporters, Khan announced the formation of a committee that will engage in discussions on two key matters. Firstly, if his departure from politics would benefit the country according to their perspective, he is willing to step back. Secondly, he seeks to explore the benefits of holding elections in October and how it would be advantageous for the nation. Khan emphasized that the committee must convince him on these points in order for him to consider leaving politics.
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The PTI has experienced a wave of defections following the violent incidents in which party workers attacked and set fire to military installations, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, following Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case earlier this month.
In a recent setback for the party, Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari, both prominent PTI leaders, announced their departure from the party. So far, around 30 PTI leaders from all four provinces have left, and more departures are expected. Additionally, thousands of party workers are currently detained for their alleged involvement in the acts of vandalism.
Imran Khan, without explicitly naming individuals, suggested that certain parties have capitalized on the arson at the Lahore Corps Commander House (Jinnah House) to crackdown on his party. He expressed concern over the unprecedented level of arrests and the detention of PTI leaders and even individuals who are not affiliated with the party. Khan believes that the only way out of this situation is for those involved to publicly declare their departure from the PTI.
Several PTI leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Maleeka Bokhari, and Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, have been rearrested shortly after being released on bail. Law enforcement agencies are continuing to apprehend suspects related to the cases.
In response to the escalating situation, Khan advised his party members to remain in hiding and avoid unnecessary exposure. However, he urged the nation to stand firm and resist pressure, vowing to continue fighting for the survival of the country despite the challenges it faces, particularly in the realm of the economy.
Imran Khan reaffirmed his readiness to face any obstacles thrown his way, pledging to fight until the very end.
