ISLAMABAD: Raja Riaz, former opposition leader in the National Assembly has alleged that Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Vice Chairman of PTI, was released from prison after agreeing to work against party chief, Imran Khan.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi was among the PTI leaders who were arrested following riots on May 9. Several prominent PTI leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Aamir Mehmood Kiyani, Ali Zaidi, and Pervez Khattak, distanced themselves from Imran Khan and the party leadership due to the violent protests that ensued, resulting in attacks on defense and public installations in various parts of the country.
Riaz challenged Qureshi’s statement that he had not proposed the name of the caretaker prime minister. He raised doubts about the circumstances surrounding Qureshi’s release from jail and his subsequent capacity to hold press conferences. This was in contrast to other PTI leaders who are either in hiding or incarcerated. Riaz suggested that Qureshi may have agreed, possibly in writing, to work against Imran Khan and undermine his position within the party.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi questioned the credibility of Raja Riaz’s claims. He also implied that Riaz lacks the authority to influence significant decisions in the country. Qureshi also conveyed optimism about the newly-appointed caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. He expressed his hope that Kakar would ensure the conduct of free and fair elections. Additionally, he cautioned that contentious elections would not contribute to the stability of the country.
The announcement of Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as the caretaker prime minister came after consultations between Shehbaz Sharif and Raja Riaz. The decision was endorsed by President Arif Alvi under Article 224 1A. Kakar, a relatively lesser-known Senator from the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), was thus selected as the caretaker prime minister.
