ISLAMABAD – Senior party leader and vice-chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI), Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has taken the charge of the party in Imran Khan’s absence.
According to party sources, Qureshi will head the party in Khan’s absence and Asad Qaiser, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Ali Muhammad Khan and Shehryar Afridi will assist him.
A week ago, Imran Khan has given Qureshi the task of preparations for the elections.
Former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested in Toshakhana case on Saturday. The trial court issued an arrest warrant for the PTI chairman after sentencing him to three years in prison.
Reacting to the arrest of party leader Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that workers should come out but not take the law into their hands or damage the property. “We have to fight for true freedom,” he said.
Rejecting the verdict, the PTI stalwart said that requirements of justice were not met. He added: “The PTI will use its right to challenge the decision by knocking on the doors of the higher judiciary.”
This is for the second time that the former prime minister has been detained in the case. He was earlier detained in another graft case.
Khan, 70, is facing over 150 cases since his removal from power on April 10, 2022. He refused all allegations of corrupt practices, saying the charges were politically motivated.
Meanwhile, his arrest and disqualification have been linked to national elections that have to be held later this year in Pakistan.
