Quetta, Jun 2 (IANS): Former Chief Minister of Pakistan Punjab Usman Buzdar, known to be close to PTI Chairman Imran Khan, on Friday announced his plans to quit politics, media reports said.

Addressing a press conference here, Buzdar said he has been facing cases for the past 14 months, Samaa TV reported.

"I am taking a break from politics," he said.

Buzdar also reiterated his support for Pakistan Army and urged all stakeholders to sit together and take the country out of the problems it is facing.

Buzdar said there would be no citizen who would not condemn these incidents of May 9.

"I am standing with the army and will continue to stand in the future. I announce my withdrawal from politics," Buzdar said, Samaa TV reported.

His press conference was full of wishes and prayers and defending his three-and-a-half-year stint in the country's largest province.

He also said that innocent people have been arrested and they should be treated leniently and should be released.

"I have served the people with good intentions and I have not been active in politics for the past 14 months," Buzdar insisted, Samaa TV reported.

Buzdar, whose term as Punjab's Chief Minister was cut short in March 2022, said he had always stood with the armed forces of Pakistan and will continue to do so, Geo News reported.

"I have always committed to politics of nobility [...] but due to the current circumstances, I have decided to quit politics," the former Chief Minister, once considered to be close to Imran Khan, said, Geo News reported.