Condemning PTI’s confrontational policy, Sarwar parts ways with party

Rebuking Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) “policy of confrontation” with the state institutions, senior leader and former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan announced leaving the party over May 9 violent protests.

Sarwar, in a video statement on Thursday, said those involved in the attacks on state installations following PTI chief Imran Khan’s in corruption case last month should be given exemplary punishment.

“Pakistan’s forces have rendered sacrifices for the survival and protection of the country,” he said adding that attacks on martyrs’ monuments, General Headquarters and other sensitive installations were tantamount to anti-state acts.

Referring to the attacks on GHQ and Lahore’s Jinnah house, the former minister said the protesters attacked “heart of Pakistan”.

“I condemn all those unholy actions.. all those involved in such crimes should be given exemplary punishment,” he demanded.

Moreover, Sarwar also hit out at his party saying that he strongly condemned the policy of confrontation of with the institutions.

“I disagreed with the confrontational policy at every forum of the party. We should not fight with institutions,” he remarked.

His statement emerged on social media a day after he was arrested from Islamabad over his alleged involvement in the May 9 protests, police sources said on Wednesday.

A large number of workers and supporters of PTI staged almost countrywide demonstrations on May 9 — when the PTI chairman was arrested by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with an alleged Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

The demonstrators destroyed public and private properties, attacked military installations — the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander's House (Jinnah House) — and ransacked relics of martyrs.

Following the violent protests, dozens of party leaders and lawmakers including Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Ali Zaidi, Aamir Mehmood Kiani and others have parted with the party over the violent protests.