Lahore (Web Desk): Former minister of state Farrukh Habib announced to join Jahangir Tareen-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party's (IPP) after quitting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Addressing a press conference in Lahore flanked by IPP leaders including Aun Chhaudhry, Farrukh Farrukh termed PTI chief Imran Khan responsible for the May 9 riots.
He said that Imran Khan did not act responsibly. Youth were brainwashed that institutions were against us.
Habib said that PTI youth were brainwashed that institutions were against us.
He recalled that since the May 9 riots, he thought about his political struggle. “We wanted to make Pakistan the country of Quaid-e-Azam and I repeatedly asked myself this question. Self-accountability is very important. I was also in that phase and I took my time to make a decision on this.”
“I realised that we took our real struggle to the path of violence. We stepped away from Pakistan which was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam,” he said.
He said that the PTI government was ousted via a vote of no-confidence constitutionally, but regretted that the party did not sit in peace after that.
Farrukh said the PTI should have opted for a “democratic struggle” and waited for elections.
“But you opted for violent resistance. We have faced beatings as youth leaders but we never opted for a violent approach. We used to work so dedicatedly for our vision,” he said. “But if you look at that struggle and compare it with the post-May 9 violence, you will see a difference.
Habib said that there were messages for people to take to the streets and their minds were hijacked.
Their sentiments were provoked that Pakistan’s institutions are working against them.
Farrukh said that “a message of hatred” was run on television all the time and a “bullet approach instead of ballet approach” was taken.
Criticising the former premier, he said that they did not know that Chairman PTI had taken watches from Toshakhana.
"I have been criticizing Zardari and others in Toshakhana". he said adding that they had been defending what was not defensible.
He said that issue of Al-Qadri University was approved by the Cabinet in a sealed envelope.
Habib said that that the PTI was his “political birth” but “Khan sahab deviated from his vision and handed us the likes of Farah Gogi and Usman Dar”.
He added that several innocent people with no criminal record were languishing in jails, adding that the decision to part ways with the PTI was difficult but one had to keep the interest of the country first.
Concluding the press conference, Farrukh Habib announced to join the Jahangir Khan Tarin-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
On September 28, Farrukh Habib had been reportedly taken into custody from Gwadar.
The development came a day after PTI had announced Farrukh as its new spokesperson.
The PTI, in its post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), had said, “Former Federal Minister Farrukh Habib, his brother and 4 other associates from Gwadar area of Balochistan were detained by a person in police uniform and 7-8 unknown persons in plain clothes at midnight without any warrant”,
After May 9 protests by PTI over Imran Khan’s arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), many party leaders have been arrested for allegedly inciting violent protests, including attacks on defense installations, buildings and memorials.
Farrukh Habib, belonging to Faisalabad district, has been the state minister for information and broadcasting in the previous PTI-led government.
He had defeated ex-minister of water and power, Abid Sher Ali in 2018 General Elections and was elected as MNA from NA-108.