ISLAMABAD: Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Head Sahibzada Hamid Raza yesterday resigned from the membership of two committees of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while on the other side PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also tendered his resignation.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza resigned from the party’s core committee as well as the political committee following the backlash faced by PTI leaders after the alleged retreat from Islamabad. The Sunni Ittehad Council chief will also resign from the membership of the National Assembly, sources said, adding that he will tender his resignation to PTI founder Imran Khan in their upcoming meeting. The party leaders are under severe scrutiny after PTI workers retreated from D-Chowk in Islamabad, without succeeding in ensuring the release of party founder Imran Khan. The former ruling party is in turmoil following the arrest of hundreds of its workers after the authorities launched a grand operation against the PTI protesters in Islamabad. Meanwhile, sources said that Hamid Raza and Salman Akram Raja’s resignations are expected to be followed by more.

Earlier, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja also resigned from the post, in the face of strong criticism against party leadership following the failure of the Islamabad ‘final’ protest. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed receiving the resignation of PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. Several PTI leaders and workers have raised questions over the absence of party leaders in the D-Chowk protest. On the other hand, a meeting of the political committee of the PTI in Islamabad held consultations over the situation after the party’s protest. The meeting also considered taking legal steps after alleged losses of life in incidents during the protest. It is pertinent to mention here that in September, PTI founder Imran Khan had appointed Salman Akram Raja as PTI’s new secretary general. On the other hand, a meeting of the political committee of the PTI in Islamabad held consultations over the situation after the party’s protest. The meeting also considered taking legal steps after alleged losses of life in incidents during the PTI protest.