LAHORE: Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Vice-Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former foreign minister, has affirmed his loyalty to Imran Khan and declared that he has no intentions of leaving the party.

Qureshi appeared in court for the hearing of the May 9 vandalism cases at the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore.

He clarified that he was not even in Punjab when the cases were registered and was arrested 14 months later. After his release, he was promptly re-arrested in connection with the May 9 incidents.

As Imran Khan’s deputy, Qureshi emphasized that he could never even think about abandoning the party.

He criticized the authorities for being afraid of his presence in public. Qureshi alleged that the sudden surge in the number of cases, reportedly 55 cases, against him was an effort to intimidate him, despite his 40-year political career without any prior cases.

He questioned why the prosecution was not presenting arguments in court and accused the authorities of deliberately prolonging the legal process. Qureshi urged the court to make a judgment if they believed he was guilty.

In an informal chat with journalists after the court session, Qureshi encouraged PTI’s dedicated workers to participate in the upcoming rally. He reminded everyone that despite facing numerous challenges, the nation made the right decisions on Feb 8.

When asked about the proposed judicial reforms and increasing the number of judges, Qureshi criticized the bills as attempts to undermine parliament. He suggested that the bill details should be shared with the public.

Regarding the silence of PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, Qureshi explained that they were together in Adiala Jail and confirmed that Elahi was indeed unwell.

Responding to questions about his alleged ties with the Establishment, Qureshi questioned why he would be in jail if he had such connections. He condemned the internal party campaign against him and challenged anyone to ask Imran Khan who else stood by him from the core cabinet besides himself.