“PTI will use its right to challenge decision”: Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Imran Khan’s arrest 

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 5 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday rejected the party’s chairman Imran Khan’s conviction in the Toshakhana case and said that PTI will use its right to challenge the decision by approaching the judiciary, Pakistan-based Geo News reported. 

Shah Mehmood Qureshi has called the court’s verdict “politically motivated” and “state-sanctioned.” His statement comes after a Pakistan district and sessions court on Saturday sentenced former Prime Minister Imran Khan to three years in prison in the Toshakhana case. 

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 on the PTI chief, Geo News reported. Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in the Toshakhana case today.

He said, “PTI will use its right to challenge the decision by knocking on the doors of the higher judiciary.” He further said, “We will defend Imran Khan with all legal means, he said, while further adding that we will opt for all the legal ways to defend him,” according to Geo News. 

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the party’s core committee will announce its next line of action after the meeting. He said that he was “deeply hurt” after hearing the court’s decision.

Qureshi said, “If justice is being served then it should also be seen as being served. However, it is the other way round. We went to higher judiciary but we were not provided a chance to represent and defend ourselves.” He said that they will approach the doors of the judiciary and stressed that the nation is watching. 

Speaking to Geo TV, Qureshi said, “I reject the court’s verdict and believe it is a politically motivated and predetermined decision which was already expected,” Geo News reported. 

He further said, “Chairman Imran Khan had already been saying that the judiciary has made up its to arrest me. Quoting PTI chairman Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “They are determined to disqualify me which was already indicated in Khan’s public speeches.”

Qureshi raised his concerns over the arrest of his party chairman and asked the judiciary whether 70-year-old Khan was offered a fair trial. Quoting Constitution’s Article 10(1) which stipulates, “Every citizen will be given justice,” he asked whether this criterion was used during Khan’s trial.

He further said, “The criteria of justice which is impartiality, and adequate representation, presenting witnesses before the jury, were all these provided to his party head?” He asked whether there is anyone in the judiciary except Justice Humayun Dilawal who can fulfil the “requirements of justice?”

Shah Mehmood Qureshi stressed, “The cases were repeatedly sent to the trial court with expectations that similar verdicts will be issued,” as per the Geo News report. He said that Imran Khan has already expressed his mistrust and “indicated that the judiciary’s mind is made up was it not the requirement of justice that the judge recuse himself?”

Senior PTI leader asked why the decision was taken in such haste and announced during the weekends, according to Geo News. He called it a cause of concern that police came to Zaman Park to arrest Imran Khan after the news of the verdict was announced on Television. He asked whether the police were already informed about “the nature and the decision.”