PTI loses another wicket as Karachi president bids adieu over ‘Black Day’ vandalism

• Siddiqui quits PTI in protest against attacks on public properties on May 9.
• PTI leader condemns ransacking of public properties by 'party supporters'.
• "I will continue to serve my country in my individual capacity."

Aftab Siddiqui, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Karachi chapter president, has announced parting ways with the former ruling party and also quitting politics in protest against May 9 vandalism triggered following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan arrest.

Siddiqui, who is a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Karachi’s NA-247 constituency, in a series of tweets on Sunday said that he was left dismayed after party workers resorted to violence on May 9, damaging public and military installations across the country.

“I have always aspired to see Pakistan prosperous. As a peaceful citizen and a true patriot, the violence that took place in the events on May 9th and the attack on national monuments and Yaadgaar-e-Shahuda, has left me dismayed and I condemn the same,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

Siddiqui said he has decided to step aside from politics and step down as lawmaker and party president of the Karachi chapter. “I will continue to serve my country in my individual capacity working for the betterment of the people, and as a businessman contributing to the economy.”

Siddiqui is the latest PTI leader who bid adieu to the Imran Khan-led party after the violent protest began on May 9 and lasted for nearly three days claiming at least 10 lives and leaving dozens of others injured.

The top civil-military leadership of the country denounced the May 9 violence as a “black day” and vowed to try the rioters under the Pakistan Army Act and other relevant laws of the country.

The PTI chief has distanced his party from the violence and blamed the “agencies men” for the ransacking of defence installations including the Lahore Corps Commander's house and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. He also demanded an independent judicial probe into the violence.

So far, over a dozen PTI leaders and lawmakers — including Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Malik Amin Aslam and Mahmood Moulvi — have announced quitting the party, citing attacks on public and defence installations during the PTI protests as the reason.