Fawad rules out Imran’s release in presence of current PTI leadership

ISLAMABAD: Amid reports of internal rifts within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has said there is “no chance” of the incarcerated party founder Imran Khan’s release in the presence of current PTI leadership.

“[Due to] lack of political strategy of current PTI leadership, all of us are suffering,” said the former senior vice-president of the party, who parted with Khan following the May 9 violent protests that saw attacks on public and military installations.

He also responded to the PTI leader’s criticism that those who parted ways with Khan in the aftermath of May 9 mayhem have now started speaking in his favour as the “tough time” for the embattled party has now come to an end.

“Tough time has not ended for the jailed former premier and other PTI leaders. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and others are still behind bars and going through a difficult time,” he said. The former federal minister said: “Some people start their journey from Peshawar and return after staging a rally in Lahore.”

Continuing with his criticism of the PTI leadership, the former federal minister said Barrister Gohar Ali Khan-led party’s leaders were only doing commentary on verdicts of different cases against the jailed party leaders.

He was of the view that “eligible” politicians like Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervaiz Elahi and Asad Qaiser should lead the party. Fawad, who is also a lawyer, urged the top PTI leaders to stop “foolish talks” expecting an early release of the PTI founder as a result of court battles.

Interestingly, his statement came at a time when cracks emerged in the embattled PTI as 21 of its lawmakers, who are now part of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), reportedly hinted at forming a forward bloc over the top leadership’s inability to secure the release of party founder Imran Khan from jail. Earlier this week, PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan also tendered his resignation from his party position.