- Qureshi recorded message when he knew police arrived to arrest him.
- He was arrested from Gilgit Baltistan House, Islamabad this morning.
- He calls upon party workers to continue struggle for real freedom.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, has been arrested in a pre-dawn raid under 3MPO, according to police sources on Thursday.
The PTI leader was taken into custody from Gilgit Baltistan House in Islamabad after a failed police attempt to arrest him on Wednesday afternoon.
Qureshi is wanted by police in cases of riots and arsons in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police sources said. However, before his arrest, the PTI leader encouraged party workers to continue their struggle for true freedom in the country.
“As a foreign minister of Pakistan, I defended Pakistan’s interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years,” he said. He added that he has no regrets and has not made any provocative statements that could lead to lawsuits. Qureshi is confident that the PTI’s struggle will reach its destination.
Qureshi expressed his grief and shock over around 50 casualties in the recent violent protests that erupted after the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan in Islamabad. He noted that a worthwhile cause requires sacrifices and the PTI and its workers will continue their struggle for such a worthy cause.
“All organisations, ticket holders, office-holders are requested not to lose heart and stay put in the field,” he advised party cadres. “We have not taken the law into our hands before, and we will not do so in the future as well.”
The PTI leader emphasised that the allegation of the Corps Commander Lahore incident is a false charge against him and Imran Khan. He called upon the party activists to remain calm and stick to their cause.
Earlier when a police contingent arrived at his place, he recorded a statement, saying, “According to my information, the police have come to arrest me. I want to leave a message.”
“The Tehreek-e-Insaf is a movement for real freedom, and everybody has contributed to it,” he stressed. “Imran Khan entrusted me with this responsibility. I have been trying to fulfill this responsibility, and I have shared it to the best of my ability.”
Qureshi asked PTI workers to keep up their struggle for real freedom. “Remain on your marks in this great cause until Imran Khan is freed,” he added.
