Hammad Azhar quits as PTI Punjab president over unilateral decisions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab President Hammad Azhar has resigned from his party position, citing dissatisfaction with decisions made without his consent.

In his resignation letter, Hammad urged PTI Chairman Imran Khan to hold regular meetings with Secretary General Omar Ayub and senior leader Shibli Faraz, both of whom he described as responsible and sensible. He suggested rotating four other key individuals weekly to ensure a balanced approach.

Expressing his frustration on the social media platform ‘X,’ Hammad regretted that he no longer has direct access to Imran Khan.

In a detailed statement posted on the platform, he clarified that he had neither held a press conference nor made any deals, but that he faces severe restrictions on his movements and is unable to visit Adiala jail.

Hammad disclosed that many decisions within the Punjab party organisation were made without his input, driven more by lobbying, limited access to Imran Khan and one-sided information rather than merit. He highlighted an example where lobbying efforts led to the removal of Lahore President Chaudhry Asghar, who had spent two months in prison, won an election from Nawaz Sharif’s constituency and was elected Lahore president just three months ago.

Hammad contended that incorrect information provided to Imran Khan influenced the decision to replace Asghar, who had played a key role in several major protests, conventions and rallies, including the successful August 13 rally in Lahore. He expressed disappointment that despite Asghar’s contributions, misinformation led to his removal.

Hammad added that many in the party leadership agree that such decisions result from limited access to Imran Khan, leading to injustices in the organisation. He noted that some leaders are deeply concerned about the situation in certain regions, but Imran Khan remains unaware.

Given these circumstances, Hammad stated that he could no longer uphold merit in his role as Punjab president, nor could he support punishing those who are performing and sacrificing for the party. He emphasized that he had previously resigned for similar reasons, as it is impossible to manage party affairs without direct access to the founding chairman, leaving room for vested interests to exploit the situation.

Hammad argued that significant organisational responsibilities should be entrusted to those with direct access to the party leader to ensure accurate communication with Imran Khan.

“So I am stepping down from the chairmanship of Punjab from today, but I remain and will continue to be, a loyal worker of Imran Khan, InshaAllah,” he wrote.

In his statement on ‘X,’ Hammad also conveyed a message to Imran Khan, pledging his continued support despite their lack of direct contact. He recounted how he had kept the party united until February 8, with all members aligned and no hierarchy issues within the organisation.

However, after recent election successes, Hammad observed that the party had fragmented into three groups with differing interests: some aligned with the government, some in parliament and others facing hardships. He urged Imran Khan to bring everyone back on the same page and prevent any individual from pursuing a strategy different from his own.

He also mentioned two other influential groups within the party, each aligned with different messengers, who have gained undue importance and influence over Imran Khan. He suggested a simple solution: Imran should meet regularly with the secretary general and Shibli Faraz while rotating the other four advisers weekly.

“Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz are responsible and sensible people who have helped the party through difficult times, but they don’t meet with you as often as they should,” he concluded.