Azhar stands 'firm' on decision to quit PTI post after Ayub rejects resignation

• Azhar says he couldn't work under such circumstances.
• PTI leader says he has all responsibility but no authority.
• "It's my firm decision to not continue," says ex-minister.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Omar Ayub on Thursday rejected Hammad Azhar’s resignation as the Punjab president; however, the latter said he was "firm" on his decision. 

“Hammad Azhar you have worked tirelessly for the party and PM (sic) Imran Khan sahib. Resignation not accepted,” Ayub wrote on X.

In response to the PTI secretary general’s remark, Azhar said he could not work under such circumstances where he had all the responsibility but no authority.

“I am humbled by your confidence in me. But it is my firm decision to not continue under the circumstances where I have zero authority but complete responsibility,” he said.

Moreover, he said restrictions on his movements too were the reasons behind his decision.

'Lack of access to Imran Khan'

A day earlier, Azhar stepped down as the president of the party's Punjab chapter, citing lack of access to PTI founder Imran Khan and restrictions on his movements as the reasons behind his decision. 

"Unfortunately I do not have access to Imran Khan. I did not hold a press conference nor did any deal as my movement is very restricted and I cannot go to Adiala [jail]," Azhar wrote on X.

The Imran's loyalist expressed various grievances, one of them was not consulting him in the decisions taken within the PTI's Punjab organisation, as he said "most of these decisions were based on lobbying" instead of merit.

Moreover, he said limited access and provision of one-sided information to the PTI founder also concerned him.

Azhar cited Chaudhry Asghar's removal as PTI's Lahore president as one example of "lobbying", saying that the lobbyists wanted to replace Asghar and they succeeded today and got the desired directives from the jailed PTI founder by giving him the "wrong facts".

The former minister also mentioned that the PTI founder was not being informed about the troubles of PTI members in various other regions.

"In this situation, it is not possible for me or during my presidency of Punjab to violate the merit and denotify the people who are performing and making sacrifices just because their voices cannot reach Khan sahab," he said.

The PTI leader recalled the first time he had resigned "for the same reason that it is not possible for anyone to run the affairs without access to the party leaders".

He further stated that those who have vested interests take advantage of the lack of communication with PTI founder.

Azhar said that the major organisational responsibility should be vested only in those who have access to the party leader to convey complete facts to him.

"Therefore, I am leaving the charge of the Punjab Presidency from today. I was a worker of Imran Khan and will remain so God willing," he concluded.