On Saturday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) witnessed the departure of another senior leader, as former planning minister Asad Umar resigned from the party and announced his complete withdrawal from politics.
This decision follows his earlier resignation as the party’s secretary general after the May 9 riots. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Umar, who was once a close aide to PTI chairman Imran Khan, stated, “After more than one decade in public life, I have decided to completely quit politics.”
He cited his disagreement with the confrontational policy towards state institutions as a primary reason for his departure. Umar becomes the latest in a series of PTI leaders to resign in the aftermath of a nationwide crackdown, with prominent figures arrested following the May 9 riots.
Despite opportunities to join other parties, Umar has not shown inclination, emphasizing his stance against confrontations with state institutions in a tweet. He expressed concern about the detrimental impact of such a policy on the country and thanked supporters, especially the NA-54 team and voters who elected him twice, concluding with blessings for the Pakistani nation.