Pakistan govt to ban PTI, initiate treason proceedings against former PM Imran Khan

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said on Monday (July 15) that the government would ban Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the political party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. It also plans to initiate Article 6 proceedings against PTI founder Imran Khan, ex-president Dr Arif Alvi, and former NA deputy speaker, Qasim Suri.

The steps are being seen as an attempt to prevent Khan’s PTI from becoming the single largest party in the National Assembly after Khan's party was granted relief by the top court in the reserved seats case as well as to the party chief in the Iddat case.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Tarar said, "The federal government will move a case to ban the PTI."

Tarar added that the case would be taken to the Supreme Court. "We believe that there is credible evidence that PTI should be banned," the minister said, citing allegations against Khan including leaking state secrets and inciting riots.

Tarar further shared that the Shahbaz Sharif government has decided to file a reference against former president Arif Alvi, Imran Khan, and the ex-deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, under Article 6 of the Constitution, which corresponds to high treason,  for dissolving the assemblies in April 2022, despite a motion of no-confidence being moved against Khan in the Parliament.
 

'Pak cannot move forward with PTI's existence'

Tarar further told reporters that if Pakistan were to move in a forward direction, it could not do so with PTI's existence. 

Also read | Ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi acquitted in illegal marriage case

“In view of the foreign funding case, May 9 riots, and the cipher episode as well as the resolution passed in the US, we believe that there is very credible evidence present to have the PTI banned,” he said.

The timing of the potential ban

The government's decision comes just a few days after Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were acquitted in the illegal marriage case. Khan is in jail for nearly a year over a slew of court cases he says were orchestrated to prevent his return to power in the February elections.

The verdict in the illegal marriage case was a big relief for Khan but the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested him and his wife in a new case about Toshakhana. 

The decision also comes days after the Supreme Court ruled that the PTI was eligible for more than 20 extra reserved seats in parliament, ramping up pressure on the government.