Pakistan opposition leaders desert Imran Khan amid political crisis

Several members of Pakistan's opposition, including close associates of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, have deserted him and his party amid the political crisis and the threat of court martial trials against opponents. 

The wave of casualties in the ranks of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party began in the last two weeks, following protests called by the opposition after the former prime minister's arrest, and numerous arrests by the authorities to contain the violence. 

PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry announced his departure from the party today in a terse statement in which he avoided mentioning his reasons for leaving. 

"I have decided to take a break from politics, therefore, I have resigned from the party and parted ways with Imran Khan," Chaudhry said. 

Chaudhry's exit follows that of former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, a close associate of Khan, who cited family reasons for stepping down. 

Prior to her departure, Mazari was arrested five times in the past two weeks under a law and order ordinance related to protests over Khan's release. 

"As of today I am not part of the PTI or any active party because my family, my mother, and my children come first," she said. 

Both leaders join a dozen PTI members, including Khan's aides, who have quit their party and condemned the violence during which military properties and installations were vandalised and set on fire. 

Khan was arrested on May 9 by the paramilitary Rangers force in a case of alleged corruption and released three days later on bail, with the streets burning in protest. According to the PTI, some 7,000 people were arrested during those days, including many of its leaders. 

The government and the army announced last week that they would prosecute the rioters in military courts, which conduct secret trials without media access. 

"Everyone knows why they are leaving the party; our members are being forced out of the PTI by the military," a member of the PTI told EFE, requesting anonymity for fear that the charge against the army would be seen as sedition. 

Former Foreign Minister and PTI "number two" Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also been arrested twice in the past two weeks, most recently on Tuesday within minutes of his release. 

Addressing the media briefly before he was arrested again, Qureshi dismissed rumours that he too would resign. "I was in the party, I am in the party and I will continue to be in the party, God willing," Qureshi said. 

According to Khan, ousted from power in a no-confidence motion, the police are being used to crush the PTI and its leaders are being forced to leave the party. 

Giving in to this situation "means the death of our nation and therefore I will resist till my last breath," he said on Twitter.