Daily Times

Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has stated that if he were to be found ineligible by a court, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi would take over as party leader.

“If I am disqualified, Shah Mehmood Qureshi will run the party,” Khan said Saturday in a meeting with journalists and lawyers at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

Since being removed from office in April of last year, the PTI leader has been dealing with a number of matters ranging from terrorism to corruption.

He was detained on May 9 in accordance with arrest warrants issued by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the 190 million pound Al-Qadir Trust case.

He was released around four days after the Supreme Court declared his arrest illegal.99

The powerful National Security Committee (NSC), which is made up of top civil and military officials, threatened to prosecute rioters in accordance with applicable laws, including the Army Act.

The PTI leader put on a brave face when commenting on the mass exodus of leaders from his party following the vandalism on May 9. He said that things would soon change.

“I will give a big surprise in the coming days,” he added.

Khan said some party leaders were leaving the party under compulsion while some had been exposed.

Calling the youth a major asset of his party, Khan said the party ticket was their right and added that PTI will win the next general elections despite desertions of the party leaders.

He also called for holding a referendum to gauge the popularity of his party among the masses.

Amid rumours about the PTI-backed president’s resignation, Khan said Arif Alvi would continue working according to the Constitution.

The PTI chief claimed that a conspiracy had been hatched to “arrest, disqualify, and even assassinate him”.

Responding to allegations that he directed his party workers to attack the military installations, the PTI chief rejected the claims saying he never issued instructions for violence and vandalism.

He also maintained that he had no quarrel with the military saying: “There is no fight with the army, this army is mine.”

The former PM hit out at the coalition government for “destroying” the country’s economy and reiterated that there is no solution to the prevailing crisis except elections.