Senior PTI leader and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was on Tuesday transferred to Lahore's Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) after reportedly collapsing inside Kot Lakhpat jail, prompting his family to seek urgent medical investigations and treatment.
Qureshi's lawyer, Rana Mudassar Umar, confirmed the transfer on Tuesday. Umar stated that Qureshi had fainted and suffered a fall a few days earlier. He noted that an application regarding the situation was submitted to the anti-terrorism court, but the matter was delayed because of holidays. He added that Qureshi is currently under observation for 24 hours, "after which it will be decided whether he has to be admitted to the hospital."
The transfer follows repeated expressions of concern by Qureshi's family over his condition in prison. On November 4, 2026, his daughter Meher Bano posted on X that she learned of his fall from family members who visited him at Kot Lakhpat jail. In her post, she alleged that Qureshi has been in jail for over two years facing "ludicrous and false charges relating to May 9" and that he remains behind bars due to the "government’s mala fides" despite being acquitted multiple times.
On the same day, Qureshi's son, Zain Hussain Qureshi, stated on X that his father told him during a jail meeting that he collapsed while walking inside his barracks. Zain reported that a blood test was conducted in jail and requested that prison authorities arrange a CT scan to assess his health and provide specialized dental treatment for a cracked tooth.
The PTI's core committee met on November 6 and expressed alarm over the fall and its possible impact on Qureshi's health. The committee called on the government, the prison administration, and relevant courts to ensure his immediate transfer to a hospital for a complete medical examination and necessary treatment.
Qureshi is currently facing several charges related to the May 9, 2023, riots. In July 2024, an anti-terrorism court indicted him in a case concerning an alleged attack and arson at Shadman police station. While an anti-terrorism court acquitted him earlier this year in a May 9 case involving the arson of police vehicles in Mughalpura, he remains in custody for other rioting-related cases. He was moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail last year from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi due to logistical concerns regarding his frequent court appearances in Lahore.
