Farrukh Habib quits PTI, joins Tareen’s IPP

LAHORE: In another blow to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday, former federal minister Farrukh Habib announced that he was parting ways with the party and joining Jahangir Tareen’s Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), ARY News reported.  

According to details, the former federal minister was arrested from Gwadar along with his four brothers and as many other people.

Farrukh Habib’s brother approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) following his arrest for his recovery.

He was among the founding members of PTI’s student wing – Insaf Student Federation (ISF) – and also served as the minister of state for information in Imran Khan’s cabinet.

The former PTI leader announced the development while addressing a press conference at the Jahangir Tareen-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party’s (IPP) head office in Lahore alongside the party’s top leadership.

Addressing a press conference, Farrukh Habib said that he disconnected contact with his family for around three weeks. “We have all been away from our homes since the unfortunate incident of May 9,” he said.

Speaking of May 9 riots, the former federal minister said they wanted to make Pakistan the country of Quaid-e-Azam. “I realised that we took our struggle to the path of violence. We failed to make Pakistan which was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam,” he added.

Terming self-accountability ‘very important’. Habib said he was also in that phase and took his time to make a decision on this, adding that he consulted with his ‘spiritual and sincere friends’.

He recalled that the PTI government was ousted via a vote of no-confidence constitutionally, regretting that the party did not sit in peace after that.

Following the ouster, Habib pointed out that PIT should have opted for a “democratic struggle” and waited for elections.

However, he said, PTI chairman Imran Khan opted for ‘violent resistance’. “We [ISF] have faced beatings as youth leaders but we never opted for a violent approach,” he added.

“Messages were spread for people to take to the streets and their minds were hijacked,” he said, adding that their sentiments were provoked that Pakistan’s institutions are working against them.

“The people of Pakistan expected from you [Imran Khan] to resist peacefully,” he said, adding that a “bullet approach instead of ballet approach” was taken.

“You [PTI chairman] should have shown responsibility. But unfortunately he kept promoting violence. I had not joined the Imran Khan who is a promoter of violence,” Farrukh Habib added.

Speaking of cipher, Farrukh Habib said that the PTI chairman built a “political narrative” and used it for political gains.

He also said that he was unaware that the PTI chief had taken watches from the Toshakhana depository and was “kept in the dark”.

Habib asked Imran Khan to give answers instead of giving rise to violent politics. He also claimed that Imran provoked people outside his Zaman Park residence too.

Since the May 9 riots, which erupted after the arrest of PTI chairman in Islamabad, a number of prominent leaders addressed press conferences and announced their decision to quit the PTI.