New polls to be 'controversial' if Mohsin Naqvi remains CM: Qureshi

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that the new general elections in Punjab have "become "controversial" with Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister.

The former foreign minister expressed these remarks while speaking to journalists in Multan. He said that PTI has serious reservations regarding Naqvi.

"We accepted the name suggested by the Opposition in KP for the caretaker CM. In Punjab, we tried to suggest a name which is acceptable for the Pakistan Democratic Movement," Qureshi said while regretting that no solution to the matter was found.

He said that his party recorded its protest to ECP over the appointment of interim CM.

"As a political party, we have the right to express our reservations," Qureshi said.

Moving on to PTI's Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry's arrest, Qureshi said that those who believed in the rule of law were surprised today. He said that an FIR was stated to be the reason behind the arrest.

"The truth is that PTI has to be put under pressure," Qureshi said.

He also condemned the appointment of Bilal Siddique Kamyana as the Lahore capital city police officer, saying that an official who tortured PTI workers on May 25 was selected for the post. 

Mohsin Raza Naqvi sworn in as caretaker Punjab CM

Amid controversies and disagreements among Punjab’s political stakeholders, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi took oath as the interim chief minister at the Governor House in Lahore on Sunday night.

Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman administered oath to interim chief minister Naqvi.

Naqvi — a nominee of the opposition — was appointed as the caretaker CM by the ECP. However, PTI categorically rejected by the decision, declaring “Naqvi” as a “controversial” personality.

The electoral authority's decision came after the government and the opposition failed to reach a consensus on finalising the name of a caretaker chief executive — the move appeared to kick off a new round of controversy in the country.

In a declaration, the ECP said that the meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, made the consensus decision to appoint Naqvi as the caretaker for Punjab CM.

Mohsin Naqvi — the media mogul

The Lahore-born Naqvi is a journalist by profession. He got his higher education in the USA and was associated with the American TV channel CNN during his stay in Miami. After returning to Pakistan, he served as the regional head of CNN.

According to a report, Benazir Bhutto, who Mohsin had interviewed before, last contacted him before her assassination.

Mohsin founded the local media City News Network in 2009 at the age of 30 and now owns six news channels and a newspaper. He is also widely known in political circles and has strong relations with leading political figures.