PTI top leader Omar Ayub Khan resigns as party’s secretary-general

In a surprise development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary-General has stepped down from his post to focus on his role as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.

“I am most grateful to [former] PM Imran Khan sahib for accepting my resignation as Secretary General PTI to focus on my role as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Pakistan,” he wrote on his official X handle on Thursday.

Ayub said he had tendered his resignation on June 22, 2024 via letter addressed to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan and party Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan sahib.

“Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Shibli Faraz sahib conveyed my message to [former] PM Imran Khan sahib today during their meeting in Adyala Jail,” he added.

The NA opposition leader further said further changes will be made in the organisational structure of the PTI in the coming days on the directions of the party founder.

“I want to thank all members of the PTI family, Parliamentarians, and Tanzeem Office Holders who have worked tirelessly and braved tremendous hardships for [ex] PM Imran Khan sahib and PTI.”

The surprise development came amid reports of rifts in the ranks of the PTI with Geo News reporting citing sources on Wednesday that PTI-backed 27 Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers deliberated on the option of resignation from the National Assembly in protest against the party's top leadership.

Of the 27, the insiders had said 21 of its lawmakers hinted at forming a forward bloc over top leadership's inability to secure the release of party founder Imran Khan from jail.

They also “conveyed a message” to PTI chief Barrister Gohar and Secretary-General Omar Ayub to make serious efforts for incarcerated leaders' release.

The disgruntled MNAs complained that some leaders were eyeing higher posts instead of focusing on the PTI founder and party leaders’ release.

Ayub was appointed as the PTI secretary-general last year after his predecessor Asad Umar quit the party and active politics, joining the ranks of dozens of party members who parted ways with former PM Khan in the aftermath of violent May 9 protests that saw attacks on public and military installations.

His resignation came on the same day when a district and sessions court in Islamabad shattered the PTI’s hopes for the release of the party founder as Khan and his wife’s pleas seeking suspension of their sentences were rejected.

Khan, the deposed prime minister who was ousted from power via the opposition's no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal as the premier.

He has been behind bars since August last year after he was sentenced in the Toshakhana case and subsequently sentenced in other cases ahead of the February 8 elections.

Despite securing relief in other cases including £190 million reference and Toshakhana, and acquittal in the cipher case earlier this month, the former premier remains behind bars due to his conviction in the iddat case.