Pakistan Government Announced Move to Ban Imran Khan’s PTI

Alleged to have been involved in anti-national activities, the Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar makes an announcement to the whole world that Imran Khan’s PTI.

The Government of Pakistan has been planning to put a ban on Pakistan Terheek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose party leader as well as nation’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was imprisoned.

Why Was This Announcement Commenced?

The announcement, which was made by the Pakistani Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar on Monday, came after the huge victory for the PTI when the nation’s Supreme Court declared a big legal victory for the party, announcing its eligibility for the seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies.

The government has resolved to ban PTI after reviewing all the available evidence, citing accusations of inciting violent protests last year and leaking classified information. Tarar has promised that the case would be granted for the Supreme Court. He also noted the government’s intention to bring treason charges against Khan and two other senior party leaders – former President of Pakistan Arif Alvi and ex-Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri. Additionally, the government plans to file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s ruling that PTI must allot assembly seats reserved for women and members of religious minorities.

A senior PTI leader and party spokesperson, Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, told Al Jazeera that the government’s decision reveals their utter panic. He said that after realizing they could neither intimidate the courts nor pressure judges, and unable to blackmail them any longer, they decided to make this move through the cabinet. Bukhari said that all courts have declared their attempts to stop PTI illegal.

What Actually Happened to Imran Khan?

Last week, the Supreme Court acknowledged PTI as a legitimate political entity and clarified that lacking an electoral symbol does not impact its legal rights to present candidates. This ruling came after PTI was barred from contesting the February parliamentary elections under its party symbol, the cricket bat, compelling it to field its candidates as independents. 

Despite this obstacle, candidates supported by PTI emerged as the largest parliamentary faction, securing 93 seats. After Khan refused to ally with his political rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) collaborated with other smaller parties to establish a coalition government.

Former Governor of Sindh Zubair, previously affiliated with the PMLN, indicated that the government’s decision was a reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling last week and cautioned about potential political turmoil. He told Al Jazeera, “The powers that be are attempting to disenfranchise the country’s largest voter base, which supported PTI.”

Imran Khan, who was elected as the Prime Minister in August 2018, lost in April 2022 following a parliamentary no-confidence vote. Since then, the former cricketer-turned-politician has faced numerous legal challenges, including allegations of mishandling and leaking a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s then-ambassador in the United States in 2022. 

Khan has consistently denied these accusations, asserting that the document contained proof that his removal was orchestrated by his political adversaries and the country’s influential military, with assistance from the US administration. Both US and the Pakistani military deny this claim. 

Despite several recent court rulings in his favor, Khan has remained incarcerated since August last year.