Imran Khan’s political games leave him isolated as Pakistan army destroys party

Allies desert former prime minister amid disappearances and torture as powerful military reasserts control

In recent days, Imran Khan has cut an increasingly isolated figure. Since Pakistan's former prime minister was released from jail, after a brief but explosive attempt to arrest him last month, his return has been marked by a mass exodus of the top leadership of his party, on a scale that has surprised even his critics.

Late on Thursday night, Pervez Khattak, the former chief minister and defence minister, became the latest high-profile resignation from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. He followed in the path of Khan's former finance minister, his former human rights minister, his former information minister and his former shipping minister, who all stepped down from senior posts or left PTI altogether in recent weeks. Dozens of other federal and state ministers have followed suit.