Former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi has been moved from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) on Saturday after he suffered heart pain, his lawyer said on Saturday.

Qureshi has been indicted in multiple cases pertaining to the May 9, 2023 riots and has remained behind bars since August 2023.

Speaking to Dawn.com today, Advocate Rana Mudassar, Qureshi’s lawyer, said his client suffered heart pain early in the morning after Fajr prayers. He underwent a medical assessment by prison doctors.

“He was shifted to the PIC by Rescue 1122 after his health failed to improve,” Mudassar said, adding that Qureshi was currently undergoing various tests at the hospital.

The PTI leader’s family had been informed about his condition, the lawyer added.

In a post on X today, Qureshi’s son urged the nation to pray for his speedy recovery.

In July 2024, the PTI vice-president was indicted by a Lahore anti-terrorism court in a case registered by the Shadman police over allegedly attacking and burning the police station.

The same month, he was transferred from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to Kot Lakhpat on a police request. It had stated that frequent transportation of the PTI leader from Rawalpindi to Lahore was not feasible for the authorities as well as for the jailed ex-minister.

In November last year, a Lahore ATC indicted Qureshi and other senior PTI leaders in multiple cases relating to May 9 riots. The former foreign minister has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Opinion

Editorial

Pressure politics
Updated 28 May, 2026

Pressure politics

The attempt to connect the Iran conflict with the Abraham Accords makes little sense.
Eid’s true spirit
Updated 27 May, 2026

Eid’s true spirit

Pakistan celebrates Eid while grappling with economic strain that continues to weigh heavily on ordinary households.
Cotton crisis
27 May, 2026

Cotton crisis

PAKISTAN’S declining cotton economy is rapidly turning into a case study in policy contradiction. Amid endless...
Balochistan tragedy
Updated 26 May, 2026

Balochistan tragedy

The state keeps reiterating the role of hostile foreign actors in fomenting unrest, yet seems to be short on ideas on how to prevent the ingress of such actors and their ideologies in Baloch society.
Economic engagement
26 May, 2026

Economic engagement

AN array of investment MoUs valued at $7bn signed during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s China visit signifies...
Flotilla abuse
26 May, 2026

Flotilla abuse

THE testimonies that have emerged from international activists, who were part of a Gaza-bound flotilla, paint a...