The acquittal of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi by an anti-terror court has triggered speculation on social media about the possible takeover of the party by Qureshi.

Talking to the media in Islamabad on Wednesday, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, however, ruled out the possibility of Qureshi taking control of party affairs.

Salman Akram Raja maintained that it was premature to talk about the release and taking over of the party leadership by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, as five to six cases were still pending against him and the chances of his immediate release were slim.

Salman Akram Raja claimed that all PTI members were the victims of fascism at this time without exception. Therefore, the public should not make any wrong assumptions.

In a thinly veiled reference to recent constitutional amendments, he said that what the state authorities were doing to the judiciary was in front of everyone.

Strongly criticising the current judicial system, Salman Akram Raja said that now it is no longer a system to provide justice but has become a tool to help launch attacks on political opponents.

This situation is not just a problem for the PTI but a matter of concern for the entire nation, he said.

According to him, the circumstances have now become a major challenge for the entire country.

He said that living nations do not remain silent in such a situation, but respond to it. Now the question is how will the Pakistani nation respond.