Pakistani Government to Ban Imran Khan's Party Over Alleged Anti-State Activities

Pakistani Government to Ban Imran Khan's Party Over Alleged Anti-State Activities

Islamabad: On Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, strongly criticized the government's decision to ban the party. PTI claimed the move showed "desperation" and "panic" within the federal administration.

The Pakistani government announced plans to ban PTI for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and plans to charge Khan and two of his senior colleagues with treason. Imran Khan, 71, faces over 200 cases, has been convicted in a few, and is currently in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

PTI responded by saying the ban is based on the cipher case and a US Congressional Resolution on electoral rigging, calling these reasons baseless. PTI stated that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by Khan’s rival Nawaz Sharif, is making a mistake. The PML-N is part of the ruling coalition headed by Nawaz’s brother, Shehbaz Sharif.

PTI also mentioned that Khan has been acquitted in the cipher case and that the US resolution highlights the challenges the party faced. PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar told Geo News that the government is acting out of desperation following the Supreme Court's favorable ruling for PTI in the reserved seats case. He vowed the party would fight the ban, calling it illegal.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that PTI is eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities in the national and four provincial assemblies. If granted, PTI would become the largest party in the National Assembly with 109 seats.

PTI also criticized the Information Minister Attaullah Tarar for ignoring questions about the US and UN observations, accusing him of either being unaware or clueless. They suggested the government is panicking as they can't pressure the courts and are now trying to act through the cabinet.

Imran Khan has already claimed that the February 8 general elections were rigged, calling his rivals, PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), "mandate thieves." In that election, both PML-N and PPP won fewer seats individually than the 92 seats won by independent candidates supported by PTI. The two parties formed an alliance after the election, with PML-N taking the prime minister's post and the chief ministership of Punjab province, while PPP took the presidential post and the chief ministership in Sindh province.