Shafqat Mahmood, a once prominent leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sunday announced quitting politics but stressed that the decision was not due to coercion.
“34 years back, I resigned from a government job and entered politics. But after deliberations, I have now decided to retire from politics,” Mahmood, a former federal minister, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
A plethora of politicians left the former ruling party or quit politics altogether following the May 9 attacks on state installations, with the party saying that they were forced to quit the Imran Khan-founded party.
The leaders who deserted the now embattled PTI include Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Fayazul Hassan Chohan, Maleeka Bokhari, Ali Zaidi, and Musarrat Jamshed Cheema.
While some leaders have tried joining the party ranks once again, the PTI leadership — which consists of several new faces — has decided that deserters would not be brought back to the fold.
More to follow…
