Pakistan Govt Seeks To Ban Party Of Jailed Former PM Imran Khan

Pakistan’s information minister on Monday said that the Shehbaz Sharif government will seek to ban the political party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, “The federal government will move a case to ban the PTI,” Attaullah Tarar told reporters in Islamabad, days after a series of court decisions favoured the embattled leader.

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Top ISI & Army Officials Approved Ban Decision: Source

Sources told News18 that the decision to ban Khan’s party was taken due to the judiciary’s non-cooperation with the Pakistani government and its military-run intelligence agency, the ISI.

Jailed since August last year, the country’s Supreme Court on Saturday acquitted Imran Khan and his third wife, Bushra Bibi, on charges of unlawful marriage. However, he will not be freed as authorities have issued new orders for his arrest.

Following the top court’s verdict, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government was “upset” by the relief granted to Khan and Bibi in ongoing cases. The source also added that the decision to ban PTI has clearance from the top levels of the ISI and the Pakistani Army.

The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been jailed for several court cases he says were orchestrated to prevent his return to power in the February elections.

Last week, the Pakistan Supreme Court granted the PTI more seats in parliament in a landmark ruling. Adding to that, Khan’s illegal marriage conviction was overturned on Saturday. “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,” Tarar was quoted as saying by Dawn.

The minister said that whether it was the foreign funding case, the riots of May 9, or the manipulation of the cipher saga, the PTI continued decrying that the country was in danger. “You tried to damage the country’s diplomatic relations for the sake of your political interests and went on to get a resolution passed against Pakistan in the US,” he said.

“Thus, foreign funding is established, the attacks of May 9 are established, the cipher case is established, the resolution in the US is established; therefore, the federal government has decided that, in view of all the evidence, we will move a case to ban the PTI”. Tarar added that the government would also submit a review petition before the SC against its verdict last week which declared that PTI would be eligible for reserved seats.

Strongly opposing the federal minister’s remarks, PTI leader Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan said, “Atta Tarar, your father’s father can also ban PTI, and this country has come in the dowry of your mother, the Holy Prophet. Try as you might, your time is up. The time has come not only for you but for all the dirty characters with you who acted against the constitution and law of this country. You will be accounted for, inshallah.”

(With agency inputs)