• Imran Khan says “forced divorces” new phenomenon.
• He calls out human rights orgs for not defending PTI.
• The statement comes after slew of leaders quit party.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Tuesday termed his party leaders’ exodus as “forced divorce” after senior vice president Shireen Mazari also jumped ship following the May 9 riots.

“We had all heard about forced marriages in Pakistan but for PTI a new phenomenon has emerged, forced divorces,” Khan — a former prime minister who faces a slew of cases ranging from corruption to terrorism — said in a tweet.

The party’s leaders have been announcing their departure as the PTI workers attacked not only public buildings but also military installations — including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

The people have majorly cited PTI’s “policy of violence” as the reason behind their decision for leaving the party, with PTI claiming that they were under duress.

“Also wondering where have all the human rights organizations in the country disappeared,” the PTI chief said.

When the wickets began to fall recently, Khan said he sympathised with all those who were “under pressure” to leave the PTI — the party which ruled the country from 2018-2022.

“My sympathies go to all those who under pressure have been made to leave the party. And I commend and salute all the senior members who are resisting the extreme pressure to quit the party.”

Not only have the senior leaders seen jail time since the May 9 violence but thousands of the party’s workers have also been arrested in connection with the riots.

The army and the government have vowed that no leniency would be shown to the perpetrators who were involved in the attacks, with the military terming May 9 as “Black Day”.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has also said that the legal process of trial against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators involved in the May 9 mayhem has commenced under Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act as per existing and established legal procedures derived from the Constitution.

List of leaders who have left

• Former federal minister Shireen Mazari
• Former provincial minister Fayazul Hassan Chohan
• Ex-MPA (Punjab) Abdul Razaq Khan Niazi
• Ex-MPA (Punjab) Makhdoom Iftikharul Hassan Gillani
• Ex-MPA (Punjab) Mian Jaleel Ahmed Sharaqpuri
• Khawaja Qutab Fareed Koreja
• Founding PTI member Aamer Mahmood Kiani,
• Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain
• Former federal minister Malik Amin Aslam
• Former provincial minister Dr Hisham Inamullah Malik
• PTI West Punjab President Faizullah Kamoka
• Ex-PTI central deputy secretary general for Islamabad Dr Muhammad Amjad
• PTI Sindh Vice President Mehmood Moulvi
• PTI Karachi President Aftab Siddiqui
• MPA (Sindh) Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah
• MNA Jai Parkash Ukrani
• MPA (Sindh) Sanjay Gangwani
• MPA (Sindh) Dr Imran Shah
• In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),
• Ex-KP govt spokesperson Ajmal Wazir
• MNA Usman Tarakai
• MNA Malik Jawad Hussain
• Ex-provincial minister Mubeen Khilji