'Visit my jail too if you have time', PTI's Shah Mahmood Qureshi tells party leadership
PTI's former vice-chairman says he stands firm with party but calls for leadership engagement
November 17, 2024
- Mahmood asks PTI leaders to visit him in jail for consultation.
- PTI senior leader says he remains loyal to the party founder.
- Stresses need of engaging jailed members in party decisions.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a sarcastic remark on Saturday, urged the party’s "free" leadership to consider visiting him at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, "if they can find the time", The News reported.
Speaking to the media at Rawalpindi’s anti-terrorism court on Saturday, Mahmood reaffirmed his loyalty to PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, who also remains incarcerated at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail — but emphasised the need for the party’s leadership to seek his input on political matters.
"I am standing where I was standing before. Earlier, I was in Adiala in the cipher case. Allah made me successful in that case. Now, I am imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail on false charges,” he explained.
Directing his comments at PTI leaders such as Barrister Gohar, Salman Akram Raja, Omar Ayub, and Sheikh Waqas Akram, Mahmood called for greater engagement with jailed party members.
In a sarcastic manner, he quipped that the party’s "free" leadership should visit him at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore "if they can spare some time."
"We have been incarcerated for one-and-a-half years, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema. If time permits the party leadership, they may take our input. It is quite possible that we may present something to them," he added.
In an informal chat with reporters outside an anti-terrorism court, Mahmood's daughter Meher Bano said her father had given a message to the Pakistani people that the call of November 24 was important.
Mahmood’s son and member of the National Assembly, Zain Qureshi, said he had been silent for a long time because he was a party worker; the party had issued him a show-cause notice, and he had also responded to it.
"I have resigned from the party post. My case is before the party, and I hope for the best," he added.
Zain said he had attended the party meeting called in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recently and met with party members.
