RAWALPINDI / ISLAMABAD: In a move that left many scratching their heads, a group of PTI defectors led by Fawad Chaudhry met Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Adiala Jail on Wednesday, apparently to convince the party’s vice chairman to desert Imran Khan.

However, the group meeting, also comprising former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, Aamer Kiani and Mahmoud Moulvi, which was “arranged” in a separate jail room, apparently failed to achieve its objective.

In a post on Twitter, the PTI leader’s son Zain Qureshi said, “Makhdoom sahib is the party’s vice chairman and is the name of an ideology. We stand with the ideology of Tehreek-i-Insaf and Imran Khan. He [Shah Mehmood] has only done politics of principles and service, not position and greed”.

“He was with Imran Khan yesterday and today,” Dawn.com reported Mr Qureshi as saying.

About a week ago, Imran Khan announced that Mr Qureshi would lead the party in case he is arrested or disqualified.

After meeting, Fawad Chaudhry and others spoke to journalists eagerly waiting outside the prison.

The former PTI leaders criticised the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government for the prevailing political instability and financial crunch hitting the country.

Mr Chaudhry said that the 250 million people of Pakistan cannot be left at the mercy of Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He said they had a detailed meeting with Mr Qureshi. “We have to move towards a stable solution,” he added without elaborating.

When asked about the thousands of detained workers of PTI, he said most of them did not have any direct link with the May 9 riots, and it was the party’s responsibility to get them released.

He hoped the law would be followed while taking action against those involved in riots during which civilian and military installations were targeted.

His remarks come amid speculation about launching a new political party in the country, mainly comprising PTI defectors.