Imran Ismail, a senior leader of Istehkam-e-Pakistan (IPP), alleged on Tuesday that Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), discussed the possibility of forming his own group within the party during a meeting in jail. Ismail, a former PTI politician from Sindh, clarified details of the meeting on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In his social media statement, Ismail revealed that the meeting with Qureshi, who is currently incarcerated for his alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, was arranged at Qureshi’s request. Ismail stated that he never urged Qureshi to leave the party but mentioned that the meeting was held “on the wish of Shah sahib.”
“Shah sahib wanted to form his own group, but we excused from supporting,” Ismail added in his post on the social media platform.
The timing of Ismail’s statement coincides with Qureshi’s planned participation in the upcoming general elections on February 8. Although the exact date of the meeting is not specified, it occurred in the aftermath of the May 9 riots and the subsequent arrests, triggered by the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a corruption case.
Ismail, along with PTI defectors Fawad Chaudhry and Mahmood Molvi (IPP Sindh president), visited Qureshi in Adiala jail in June 2022. After the meeting, they spoke to the media, emphasizing their outreach to various PTI leaders and former party members. There were unconfirmed reports suggesting an attempt to persuade Qureshi to leave the party.
In response, Qureshi’s son, Zain Hussain Qureshi, denied media reports about his father’s meeting with former PTI leaders, stating that Shah Mahmood Qureshi remains committed to PTI and Imran Khan’s ideology. He emphasized that their support for the party and its principles remains unwavering.
