The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has terminated the basic membership of 22 leaders, including former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar and ex-federal minister Khusro Bakhtiar, who had jumped ship after the May 9 mayhem.
The PTI leaders were notified of the termination of their membership by the party’s secretary general Omar Ayub Khan through a letter issued on July 31.
Almost all the letters were identical but the only edit done in them was that each leader was informed about the day they came on media and distanced themselves from the Imran Khan-led party.
The PTI has asked these leaders to “refrain” from using the party’s name and warned that if the advice is not heeded then they will face legal action.
Several politicians jumped the PTI's ship during the mass exodus, with many claiming to leave the party and bidding adieu to politics.
Many of the former PTI members have joined the newly-formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), led by the senior politician Jahangir Tareen, while some are exploring alternative options or distancing themselves from the party following the disruptive events of May 9.
The May 9 violent protest began soon after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan arrest by Rangers personnel from Islamabad High Court (IHC) — acting on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant.
The deposed prime minister, who was removed from power via a parliamentary vote last year, was arrested as part of NAB’s investigation in the Al-Qadir Trust case ahead of his appearance before the IHC to seek bail in multiple FIRs registered against him.
