Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 and subsequent violent protests, during which unruly supporters and workers stormed and torched state installations almost across the country, unleashed a mass exodus of leaders from the former ruling party.
The nearly three-day-long protests also claimed at least 8 lives and injured dozens of others with the incumbent coalition government suspending internet services and deploying army troops to maintain law and order situation.
Following the unprecedented attacks on defence and public properties, the crackdown was launched on the PTI to detain the suspect involved in the vandalism with the country’s top civil-military leadership vowing to try rioters under relevant laws of the country including the Army Act.
Since then, several PTI leaders including close aides of Khan have announced quitting the party over May 9 vandalism with some blaming Khan’s policies for the attacks on the military installations.
Here is the province-wise breakdown of PTI leaders who have parted ways with the deposed prime minister:
According to him, the PTI was seeking the appointment of a “true opposition leader in the lower house who could advance the election process.”
These defections could be detrimental to the PTI’s chances of winning the next elections.
