Prominent Hindu leader Jai Parkash, a minority member of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, resigned on Friday following the violent protests that erupted after Khan's arrest on May 9. Parkash, who was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for minorities, condemned the protests and expressed support for the army. He stated that he made the decision to leave the party without any pressure and that he had no intention of leaving before May 8.
The resignation of Jai Parkash is part of a series of resignations by senior politicians from the PTI party. Mubeen Khilji, a provincial minister in the PTI government, also quit the party, and several top PTI leaders have resigned over the violence, citing the violence that occurred after Khan's arrest. Khilji emphasized the need for peaceful protests and condemned the vandalism that took place.
The violent clashes following Khan's arrest resulted in a death toll of 10, with conflicting claims from Khan's party of 40 of its workers losing their lives. The military vowed to bring the arsonists to justice, and law enforcement agencies have arrested over 7,000 PTI workers across Pakistan.
According to the reports by ALJAZEERA, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the attacks on military installations during the protests that followed his arrest on corruption charges. Khan denied his supporters' involvement in the arson and alleged a plot to frame him and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. He emphasized his commitment to peaceful protests within the bounds of the law.
Khan appeared before an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, where he repeated his condemnation of the attacks and expressed that no Pakistani would support such actions. The government's decision to try the suspects under the Army Act has been criticized by human rights groups as unfair. Some PTI members who resigned claimed they were coerced to do so, highlighting the political tensions within the country.
Despite the turmoil, Khan spoke in a reconciliatory tone, emphasizing that his fight was not with the army. He expressed sympathy for those who left his party under pressure and commended senior members who resisted quitting. Security forces have been deployed around Khan's residence as authorities plan to conduct a search for suspects involved in the attacks on military installations.
(With PTI Inputs)
