Former Punjab chief minister and PTI leader Usman Buzdar on Friday announced that he is quitting politics in the aftermath of the May 9 events.
While addressing a press conference in Lahore, Usman Buzdar strongly condemned the May 9 violence and asserted that he has and will always stand with the Pakistan Army.
“First of all, I condemn the May 9 incidents. The military installations which were targeted were properties of the state of Pakistan and I believe we should avoid such incidents,” Usman Buzdar said.
Read more: Bajwa told me to remove Usman Buzdar: Imran Khan
Usman Buzdar – whose term as Punjab’s chief minister was cut short in March 2022 – called on all stakeholders to set aside their egos, exit their parties and reach a consensus. He also asked the authorities to release all those who were innocent from jail.
“I want to request all the stakeholders to set aside their ego, [think beyond] their parties and work for a better future of Pakistan,” he said.
سابق وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب عثمان بزدار کا سیاست چھوڑنے کا اعلان#WaseemAkram #Usmanbuzdar pic.twitter.com/2G8E3xEijR
— DawnNews (@Dawn_News) June 2, 2023
The ex-PTI MNA was elected as Punjab’s chief minister in August 2018 but resigned from his position in March 2022 after a delegation of senior lawmakers had submitted a no-trust motion against him in the Punjab Assembly the same day.
In April 2022, Advocate Nadeem Sarwar had formally accepted Buzdar’s resignation and summoned a session of the Punjab Assembly for the election of a new provincial chief executive.
In June of the same year, the ex-PTI leader and his family also had corruption cases registered against them for “unlawful and illegal misappropriation of state land” in Dera Ghazi Khan.
Read more: Governor of Punjab orders Usman Buzdar to continue as CM
The announcement bu Usman Buzdar comes as several PTI leaders, including Shireen Mazari and Ali Haider Zaidi, have quit politics altogether while also separating their paths from the PTI over the May 9 incidents.
Other leaders Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Barrister Maleeka Bokhari, Imran Ismail, Murad Raas and Malik Amin Aslam have also quit the party. Meanwhile, Asad Umar and Pervaiz Khattak have resigned from their party positions but stayed in the party.