MULTAN, July 05 (ABC): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has rejected rumours regarding his inclusion in Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and meeting with Asif Ali Zardari. Addressing a corner meeting in connection with the upcoming by-poll in PP-217 Multan, the former foreign minister has denied a claim made by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz regarding his inclusion in the PPP.
“I am part of the PTI family and the vice-captain of Imran Khan,” he said while rejecting rumours. Mr. Qureshi said he felt awkward by calling Raja Riaz as the opposition leader.
“I reject the claims of Raja Riaz and will never rejoin the PPP,” he said. He claimed that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari offered him to join their parties before joining the PTI. The PTI leader also accused the PML-N-led Punjab government of using state machinery in by-elections.
“The state machinery is being used in the by-election on the directions of Hamza Shehbaz but the PTI would not allow pre-poll rigging in the by-election,” he added. It is pertinent to mention here that by-polls on 20 vacant seats of Punjab Assembly will be held on July 17.
For the by-election in PP-217 Multan, the PML-N has fielded Naeem, who was de-seated by the Election Commission for voting against his party, PTI’s direction in the chief minister Punjab election.
Against him is Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s son, Zain Qureshi, who is PTI’s candidate. In the 2018 general election, PP-217 was won by Muhammad Salman Naeem, who contested independently after he was refused a ticket by the PTI. He defeated PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi.