Former prime minister Imran Khan’s top aide Chaudhry Fawad Hussain announced he is “parting ways” with the former premier on Thursday and has decided to “take a break” from politics, the latest in a long line of aides to abandon Khan after his tensions with the military escalated this month.
Hussain was arrested on May 10 from the Supreme Court of Pakistan on charges related to the maintenance of public order. The former information minister was later released after a Pakistani high court declared his arrest illegal.
He is the latest among several leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who have announced their resignations from the party and distanced themselves from him after the violent protests of May 9, which saw angry Khan supporters attack military installations, torch government buildings and smash buses to protest his detention on corruption allegations.
“I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore, I have resigned from party position and parting ways from Imran Khan,” Hussain wrote on Twitter.
On Tuesday, former human rights minister and another key Khan aide, Shireen Mazari, announced her decision to quit “active politics” after denouncing the May 9 protests.
Tensions between Khan and the military escalated following the attacks on military installations, with the army and government vowing to try violent protesters with military courts.
Earlier today, Wednesday, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the government is considering imposing a ban on the PTI after receiving evidence that the party’s supporters carried out “pre-planned” and “coordinated” attacks on public properties and military installatio
