The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday released a statement refuting former party secretary general Asad Umar\u2019s claims that he left his position because of the PTI chief\u2019s \u2018confrontational policies\u2019.<\/p>\n
PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan issued a statement shortly after Umar told a private news channel that he quit the office of PTI secretary general due to the political strategy implemented by the party\u2019s chairperson in the aftermath of the May 9 protests.<\/p>\n
During the talk show, Umar said that the job of the party\u2019s secretary general was not to give free advice but to implement the strategy which was decided. He questioned how could he implement a strategy he was \u201copposing\u201d, adding that that was the reason for his resignation.<\/p>\n
He continued that after the war of 1971, Pakistan had not witnessed such instability and urged all stakeholders to take a step back as the nation stood at a \u201cpivotal point\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to the former finance minister, due to the situation in the country, people had to step down from their ideological perspectives and compromise to reach a solution. Umar added that he did not agree with the strategy the PTI chief employed after May 9 and further said that he had been opposing the party leader\u2019s strategy even prior to the riots.<\/p>\n
Retaliating to Umar\u2019s comments, the new PTI information secretary said that there was evident \u201cconfusion\u201d in Umar\u2019s thoughts. He maintained that the former leader could have separated from the party when he developed differences with the PTI and its chief, which would have been \u201cappropriate\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, when the PTI is being targeted under a plan, he remembered to resign,\u201d Hasan said in his statement, adding that the resignation may serve Umar\u2019s personal interests, not the party\u2019s.<\/p>\n
He also disputed Umar\u2019s allegations that the PTI refused to hold dialogues and negotiate with other political parties, maintaining that \u201cAsad Umar himself used to say these political parties would never discuss anything other than an NRO\u201d (National Reconciliation Order).<\/p>\n
Hasan further said that other political parties only objective was to save themselves from corruption cases.<\/p>\n
He continued that Umar\u2019s perspective on the finalisation of a deal between the incumbent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and PTI \u2013 as per the Supreme Court\u2019s orders \u2013 showed his ambiguity.<\/p>\n