Aftab Mohmand

Ex-MPA and former Health Minister Hisham Inamullah Khan, who was elected from the  Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has announced his resignation from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party.

During a press conference held at the Peshawar Press Club, former Health Minister Hisham Inamullah expressed his reasons for leaving PTI. He stated that he can no longer remain silent, and for him, Allah is sufficient. He initially joined PTI to support the people of the country and advocate for the welfare of the youth. However, he feels that after the events of May 9, it is an insult for him to continue being associated with PTI. Therefore, he has resigned from his party membership bidding a firm goodbye to PTI.

Hisham Inamullah Khan, originally from Lakki Marwat district, joined PTI in 2018 and was elected as a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the 2018 general elections. In the provincial assembly, he won 38,475 votes from the PK-92 constituency, while his opponent Malik Noor Saleem from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam received 28,450 votes.

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Previously, Hisham Inamullah served as the Minister of Health in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from August 29, 2018, until December 2020. He also held the position of Minister of Social Welfare in the cabinet of former Chief Minister Mehmood Khan until January 4, 2021.

It is worth noting that two other leaders of PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including former provincial minister Iqbal Wazir from North Waziristan and former member of the National Assembly Malik Jawad Hussain from Orakzai, have also announced their departure from the party.

Observers state that this is not the first time leaders have left a political party, as similar incidents have occurred in the past. Shahid Hameed, a senior journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mentioned that during the coalition government formed by the Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party in 2008, many individuals joined ANP from various districts. However, after the end of their government in 2013, these same individuals parted ways with ANP and joined other political parties.

Hameed further explained that politicians tend to align themselves with whichever party is gaining more popularity at the time. Consequently, it is anticipated that PTI’s departure from certain leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may benefit opposition parties in the near future. He added that if more leaders leave PTI in the province, it could potentially change the ruling party’s situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Responding to the resignations, PTI Member National Assembly Arbab Amir Ayub from Peshawar expressed his belief that those who are leaving PTI must have done so under some form of pressure. He highlighted that PTI is the only political party in the country that individuals do not voluntarily leave.

Ayub condemned the events that took place on May 9 and stressed that although mistakes can be made, those who part ways with PTI will face political losses in the future since other parties have no promising future in the country.

Ayub advised that it is better for individuals to retire from politics altogether rather than leave the party. He expressed confidence that PTI’s leadership will soon regain control of the situation and secure victories in the upcoming elections, both at the national and provincial levels. He believes that those who have chosen to leave the party will ultimately regret their decisions.