Maleeka Bokhari parts ways with PTI

Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member National Assembly (MNA) Barrister Maleeka Bokhari on Thursday announced her disassociation with the party following the May 9 violence, Aaj News reported.

"I resign from party positions, and announce my dissociation with PTI," said Bokhari as she addressed a press conference in Islamabad after being released from jail. Bokhari asserted that there was no pressure on her.

She denounced attacks on army installations on May 9, saying whatever happened on the day was troubling for every Pakistani.

She said she would continue her role as a lawyer for the improvement of the justice system and demanded a transparent investigation into the incident of May 9.

Hours after Maleeka's announcement, PTI leader Jamshed Cheema and his wife Musrrat Cheema said they were leaving former prime minister Imran Khan’s party and politics.

“This career which is in our blood … it was not an easy decision to leave politics. You serve the nation in politics, but not at the cost of armed forces … not at the cost of people who protect the country,” he said.

Jamshed said May 9 was the peak of the situation created due to a narrative spun by Imran Khan.

The violent protests that followed Imran Khan's arrest on May 9 shocked the country, shook its politics and left marks that will be felt in the coming months.

In the span of just a few days, PTI’s political significance has been jolted, as dozens of lawmakers and senior politicians, including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, have left the party. The resignations include founding members, core committee leads, media strategists, and members of social media teams, all of whom have been essential to the party’s success.

The departure of these leaders has ignited severe speculation about the future of PTI, and some are wondering if this is the end of the road for the party.