Over the past few years, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has seen a great deal of political upheaval. The party’s journey has been marked by a number of noteworthy events, including the resignations of its top executives, which have sparked concerns about the party’s stability and future direction. The PTI has had a significant number of resignations, indicating internal issues that have plagued the party since 2022.
1. Resignation
Particularly after 2022, the resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been a defining aspect of the party’s political trajectory. The party’s leadership and strategy have changed as a result of important individuals resigning from their positions due to internal conflicts and outside influences. A thorough chronology of some of the most notable resignations inside PTI can be seen below:
2.April 2022: Vacancies
Imran Khan’s ouster: In early 2022, the political crisis engulfing Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration started to worsen. Senior PTI figures who were dissatisfied with the outcome or disagreed with the leadership’s handling of the problem resigned in large numbers as a result of this incident.
3.Mazari Shireen:
Shireen Mazari, a staunch supporter of Imran Khan, resigned in one of the first and most prominent resignations. Mazari resigned from PTI in May 2022, claiming disapproval of the party’s handling of the issue following the no-confidence motion and political shifts.
a.Shireen Mazari’s departure in May 2022
Exit of Shireen Mazari: One of the first significant PTI figures to step down after the government fell was Shireen Mazari, a well-known former federal minister and human rights activist. Mazari had been a vocal member of the party and a devoted ally of Imran Khan, thus her resignation was symbolic. Her resignation exposed internal splits within the PTI and was viewed as a setback.
b.Fawad Chaudhry Resigns in June 2022
Resignation of Fawad Chaudhry: In June 2022, Fawad Chaudhry, another prominent PTI member, resigned. He was a well-known representative of the PTI and had been the Information Minister in Imran Khan’s government. The increasing discontent within the party ranks was further indicated by his resignation. Chaudhry had expressed doubts about the leadership’s capacity to handle the political environment and had criticized the party’s course following the loss of power.
c.July 2022
Executives Continue to Leave: In the middle of 2022, PTI saw a growing number of party executives leave. Numerous party executives, members of the National Assembly, and members of provincial assemblies resigned in public or were replaced. These resignations resulted from differences over leadership choices, discontent with PTI’s stance following the vote of no confidence, or political allegiance.
4. Causes of the Resignations
There is no single reason for the PTI executives’ resignations; rather, a number of things are to blame, such as:
a. Dissatisfaction inside
A number of resignations were largely caused by disagreements over party leadership and governance practices. A few executives felt excluded or marginalized in the party hierarchy.
b. Political Unrest
A tumultuous atmosphere inside PTI resulted from the political unrest that followed Imran Khan’s removal from government in 2022. Many executives who disagreed with the party’s direction during this period chose to leave.
c. Rival Parties’ Pressure
The military and opposition parties’ external political pressures contributed to the divisions within the PTI. According to reports, outside pressure forced some party members to resign.
