Islamabad, July 15: In a widely criticised move, the Pakistan government on Monday announced its decision to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, founded by former PM Imran Khan, citing its “involvement in anti-state activities”.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also announced that the government would file references against the PTI’s top leaders including Imran Khan, former Pakistan president Arif Alvi and Qasim Suri to initiate Article 6 (high treason) proceedings against them.
“PTI and Pakistan cannot co-exist,” Tarar told a press conference in Islamabad, saying that the matter would go to the federal cabinet and the Supreme Court.
The decisions, as per Tarar, were taken in light of the former ruling party’s involvement in the May 9 violence-related events of last year and the PTI’s former or current leaders’ attempts to sabotage Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The development comes following PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s indictment in cases related to the May 9 riots and Imran Khan’s arrest in cases pertaining to the incidents of mayhem taking place on the day, following Imran Khan’s arrest.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s move has been criticised roundly by various political parties.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) termed the move an “attempt to hide their shame” after the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s verdict in the reserved seats case.
In a strongly worded statement issued here, the PTI spokesperson said that the government is trying to “threaten” 240 million people of Pakistan.
“Pakistan is not someone’s property but a home for its citizens and a constitutional state,” he added. The PTI vowed to fight against those who want to “destroy the country” by making their wishes into laws.
Various political parties joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in denouncing the ruling coalition’s proposed move, calling it “childish” and “unconstitutional”.
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Awam Pakistan condemned the ruling coalition’s actions, accusing them of lacking constitutional and legal understanding.
Abbasi urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reconsider, noting that both the PPP and PML-N have made significant mistakes in the past.
The Awami National Party (ANP) labelled the government’s move as “childish and injudicious,” arguing that political parties’ activities should not be stifled with restrictions.
Despite political differences with PTI, the ANP said it believes the government’s decision is a mistake.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah posed several critical questions: “Will this decision bring political and economic stability to the country? Will it reduce or escalate confrontations? What benefits will it offer to the public and the country? Does the ‘Form 47’ government have the authority to make such decisions?”
Hamdullah suggested that the government’s decision might be an attempt to influence powerful quarters or pressure the judiciary following the Supreme Court’s decision in the reserved seats case, which favoured the PTI-SIC.
Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) criticised the idea of banning a political party as “absurd,” stating, “It is equally absurd to consider charging a political leader with treason.”
He emphasised that no case regarding treason or banning a political party could hold up, warning that such actions would only exacerbate the political crisis.
Senate Opposition Leader Shibli Faraz dismissed the government’s press conference as “ridiculous,” accusing the rulers of driving the country further into chaos.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the government’s decision to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, labelling it unconstitutional.
In a press release, HRCP expressed its shock over the development, stating that the government’s move flagrantly violates party members’ right to association under Article 17 of the Constitution and deals “a severe blow to democratic norms”.
