Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shafqat Mahmood Sunday announced quitting politics but stressed that he did not make the decision under pressure.
Mahmood, a former federal minister, in a post on X, said: “34 years back, I resigned from a government job and entered politics. But after deliberation, I have now decided to retire from politics.”
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.
“There’s no pressure on me [to quit PTI] and neither do I plan on joining any other political party,” Mahmood said, explaining that he took the decision due to “time” and his “age”.
More to follow…
