Barrister Zafar withdraws name for PTI chief post

KARACHI: Barrister Ali Zafar dropped a bombshell on Saturday evening when he revealed that he had withdrawn his name for the post of PTI chairman.

The embattled party is set to hold intra-party polls on March 3, and Barrister Zafar’s name had been given by party leaders for the chairman slot.

However, the PTI lawyer told The News that he feels he cannot be a chairman of the party and also continue his work to ensure PTI founder Imran Khan is released from jail. According to Zafar, “I feel professionally that while I am trying to get Khan Sahib out of jail, if I become the chairman of the party there is a potential conflict. That conflict is that my interest as chairman could be to keep him in jail so my chairmanship could go on. And I do not want to get into such a conflict of interest. Professionally, I think it is not right.”

On being asked whether Imran Khan had accepted his recusal from vying for the chairman slot, Barrister Zafar said the PTI founder had accepted it.