Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is in jail in connection with the May 9 tragedy, will leave the Imran Khan-led party as soon as an alternative is found.
Asif made the statement after sources said that key PTI defectors met Qureshi in Adiala jail and tried to convince him to part ways with the former prime minister, who was voted out in April last year.
However, Qureshi’s son Zain Qureshi dismissed the impression that his father would break away from Khan or the former ruling party.
More than 80 PTI leaders and legislators have already defected to Khan, following what they claimed was a May 9 disaster when party workers and supporters almost attacked public and military installations across the country. What did
Speaking during program, the Defense Minister said that “Shah Mahmood had told me he wanted to join the PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] when he left the PPP [Pakistan Peoples Party],”
Asif, who is also a senior leader of the Muslim League (N), said that the former foreign minister had also met the leader of the Muslim League (N) Nawaz Sharif in this regard.
Talking about the May 9 riots after the deposed prime minister’s arrest, the federal minister said that the establishment was challenged in May. “There was a coup in May, don’t they know what is the punishment for coup against the army?” he said.
“The establishment, politicians and the public are on the same page regarding the events of May 9,” he said, adding that the state was attacked that month.
Asif sees Imran Khan’s ‘mistakes’ behind PTI exodus
Last month, Asif had said that those who could not bear the burden of party chairman Khan’s “mistakes” were saying goodbye to the former ruling party.
Criticizing the former prime minister, Asif accused Khan of destroying the country’s economy, adding that he was now trying to weaken the country defensively.
Referring to the May 9 riots, the defense minister said: “They have attacked the country.”
“More people will leave it [PTI],” the defense minister predicted.
Asif asked Khan to name more names for the negotiation team so that if some of them leave the party, a member can be made in their place.
