- In the midst of a PTI exodus, Babar Awan departs for London
Amidst the wave of party leaders’ departures from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the crackdown that followed the May 9 mayhem and attacks on civil and military installations, prominent lawyer and PTI leader Babar Awan has reportedly traveled to the United Kingdom, as per sources.
According to well-placed sources, Awan PTI, who serves as the legal counsel for Chairman Imran Khan, departed for London from Islamabad International Airport via a foreign airline at 1 pm on Friday.
Family sources of Awan, however, stated that his trip to London had been planned in advance and that he would return soon.
The aftermath of Khan’s arrest from the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust case saw several days of protests, leading to the loss of lives, injuries, and the government’s suspension of internet services to maintain law and order.
Following Khan’s arrest, PTI workers engaged in acts of violence, including burning and vandalizing military installations, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, on May 9—a day that the army referred to as a “Black Day.”
As a consequence of the violent protests, numerous party leaders and thousands of workers have been arrested. The army has called for those involved in the attacks on military installations to be prosecuted under the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
In light of the ongoing situation, a close aide of Khan, Asad Umar, has resigned from his positions as secretary general and core committee member, citing the prevailing circumstances.
Many party leaders and lawmakers, including Shireen Mazari, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Malik Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, Aftab Siddiqui, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, and others, have publicly condemned the attacks on state installations and announced their departure from the party since the events of May 9.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the federal government is considering imposing a ban on the PTI, having received evidence of the party’s supporters carrying out “pre-planned” and “coordinated” attacks on public properties and military installations.
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