Efforts being made to plant deserters in PTI: Hamid Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Hamid Khan on Monday alleged that efforts were being made to plant the politicians in PTI, who deserted the party following the May 9 violence – the day party founder Imran Khan was arrested, ARY News reported.

After the violent protests of May 9, 2023, a number of PTI leaders quit the party as a crackdown was launched against them for their anti-state speeches and attacking installations.

The most notable among them were senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry, former federal ministers Shireen Mazari, Aamer Mehmood Kiani and former adviser to PM Malik Amin Aslam.

Later, PTI founder Imran Khan cancelled the basic membership of all leaders and office-bearers who had quit the party.

Speaking on ARY News programme ‘Eleventh Hour’, the PTI leader said that those who left PTI after May 9 are now trying to return, but their attempts will not be successful.

Hamid Khan claimed that these individuals had formed their own party and elected Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan as their leaders, thinking that PTI would collapse. However, he said that PTI has survived and is now stronger than ever.

He questioned why they did not stay with PTI during difficult times and instead chose to leave and form their own party.

READ: Some individuals have taken over PTI: Fawad Chaudhry

Khan also accused the deserters of sabotaging PTI’s efforts and said they would not be allowed to rejoin the party. He claimed that Imran Khan has made it clear that those who left the party during difficult times will not be allowed to return.

The PTI leader also denied allegations that he had met with former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry in Australia, calling the claims “baseless” and “a big lie”. He said that he has not visited Australia since 2016 and that Chaudhry’s allegations are an attempt to damage his reputation.