New Delhi: Imran Khan’s PTI has been a crumbling house of cards since the massive crackdown on its leaders by the Pakistani Army. On Tuesday, senior leader Shireen Mazari made the chaos in PTI more apparent by resigning from the post of party whip.
“I strongly condemn the May 9 violence. I have always condemned the violence of any kind,” the former human rights minister said during a press conference, referring to the arson committed by PTI supporters following Imran Khan’s arrest.
Mazari was arrested five times in 14 days over accusations of inciting the violence. Mazari joins several PTI members who have condemned the violence and resigned.
Human rights attorney and activist Imaan Mazari, who is the daughter of Shireen Mazari, had accused the government of torture.
Imran Khan called these resignations “forced divorces”.
ہم نے پاکستان میں ”جبری شادیوں“ کے بارے میں تو سُن رکھا تھا مگر تحریک انصاف کیلئے ”جبری علیحدگیوں“ کا ایک نیا عجوبہ متعارف کروایا گیا ہے۔
میں تو اس پر بھی حیران ہوں کہ اس ملک سے انسانی حقوق کی تنظیمیں کہاں غائب ہو گئی ہیں!
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 23, 2023
Earlier, Pakistan’s former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a close aide of former PM Imran Khan, was detained for “inciting violent protests” and threatening peace amid the country’s worsening political turmoil. Later, senior vice-president Fawad Chaudhry was arrested. The PTI administration has distanced itself from the violent demonstrations.
Vocal criticism to resignation
Mazari, a 72-year-old vocal critic of Pakistan’s military and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, had earlier tweeted about police brutality on PTI protesters and claimed that the vandalism was part of a larger conspiracy.
This is how unarmed, peaceful women protestors have been brutally attacked by paramly & police post-IK abduction in Lahore, Karachi & Islamabad. Will @unwomen_pak, @Sha_Rassool, @volker_turk, @antonioguterres continue to maintain silence on this violence against women? pic.twitter.com/b5Qe6AXmfA
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) May 11, 2023
After Imran Khan’s arrest, his party leaders gathered outside the court. Mazari was the third PTI leader to court arrest as unrest gripped Pakistan.
Moments after the court ordered her release, Mazari was whisked away in an unmarked Vigo vehicle, commonly used by intelligence agency personnel and devoid of a licence plate, Pakistan Today reported.
On Tuesday, while announcing her resignation, she cited personal issues as the reason behind her decision to step away from politics. She said that her health had deteriorated during her 12-day detention and expressed that her children and parents are her top priorities.
Pressure from establishment?
The resignation of Shireen Mazari drew swift reactions from the internet, with many speculating that she may have been compelled to resign under pressure. A Twitter user named Sobhia Qureshi expressed concerns about the press conference visuals, particularly the presence of Mazari’s daughter, suggesting a threatening message and questioning the circumstances that led to her resignation.
The visuals of Shireen Mazari's press conference with her daughter standing next to her gives me chills…the optics is giving threatening message to all women there…I wonder what sort of things they threatened them to get this resignation out of her.
Shame…
— Sobiah Qureshi (@SobiahQ) May 23, 2023
Michael Kugelman also shared similar sentiments, highlighting the significance of Mazari’s resignation as a major blow to the party. He noted that while other party leaders had resigned in recent days, none held such a senior and visible position.
Shireen Mazari’s resignation from PTI is a big blow to the party. Other party leaders have resigned under pressure in recent days, but none as senior and visible as her.
The establishment continues to tighten the screws on the party on all levels.
— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) May 23, 2023
To date, several other individuals, including Mahmood Baqi Moulvi, Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Sanjay Sagwani, Malik Aslam Amin, Hisham Inamullah, Dr Muhammad Amjad, Dr Imran Ali Shah, Karim Gabol, Faiz Kamoka, and Pir Saeedul Hassan have resigned from PTI.
(Edited by Prashant)