ISLAMABAD, June 05(ABC): Hours after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah issued a warning regarding Imran Khan’s possible arrest upon the expiry of his bail, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi warned the government that if the party’s chairman is arrested, it should be ready to face a “strong backlash” from PTI workers.
“The PTI will retaliate in a strong manner if Imran Khan is arrested. And if PTI workers receive news of Imran Khan’s arrest, they should come upon with a quick response to it,” Qureshi said in a press conference after attending the party’s core committee meeting.
The meeting was chaired by former prime minister Imran Khan at his Bani Gala residence after his return from Peshawar.
Qureshi told the press that everyone had heard Sanaullah’s threat to Imran Khan.
“Arresting Imran Khan will be a political mistake,” said Qureshi, as he also used the press conference to direct the party workers to start preparing their response to Khan’s arrest if it happens.
Apart from the concerns regarding the arrest, the PTI leader said that no party lawmaker would appear before National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to verify their resignations. He added that the PTI would take part in the by-elections being held for the 20 vacant seats of the Punjab Assembly.
The former foreign minister alleged that the government wanted to use the police and the district administration to steer the results in their favour.
Qureshi also stated that the PTI’s core committee has expressed concerns about the economic situation of the country.