Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders met the party’s Vice Chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in Lahore on Friday. The meeting took place during Qureshi’s visit to the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) for a medical check-up. According to Dawn News, former PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Molvi Mahmood, and Imran Ismail met him at the hospital.
Sources said the former leaders inquired about Qureshi’s health during the meeting. They also discussed the current political situation in the country. The meeting, though brief, is being viewed as politically significant amid ongoing developments in national politics.
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Qureshi has been in custody since the May 9, 2023 unrest. That day, protests broke out nationwide after the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case involving £190 million. Violent demonstrations led to attacks on government, military, and private properties, including the Corps Commander’s residence in Lahore.
The riots caused heavy damage to public and private infrastructure. At least eight people were killed and 290 injured. In the aftermath, law enforcement agencies arrested more than 1,900 individuals accused of arson and vandalism. Several PTI leaders, including Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were charged under multiple cases.
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Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s trials remain ongoing in various courts. He has challenged the charges related to the May 9 incidents. Friday’s meeting with former party colleagues has reignited discussions about possible political realignments ahead of future elections.