Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, is being banned. The country’s government claims that the PTI founder was involved in anti-state activities. Al-Jazeera news
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said in a press conference on Monday that PTI cannot be kept in existence if the country is to move forward.
He said, in view of the foreign fund case, the May 9 riots and the cipher case as well as the resolution passed in the US, we believe there is enough credible evidence to ban PTI.
Pakistan’s information minister said, we are going to impose ban on PTI. We believe that Article 17 of the Constitution empowers the government to ban political parties. This matter will be sent to the Supreme Court.
Addressing Imran Khan, he further said that you tried to spoil the country’s diplomatic relations for your political interests and went to pass a resolution against Pakistan in the United States.
In this incident, Imran Khan’s advisor Zulfikar Bukhari told DW that the government is shooting itself in the foot. A recent Supreme Court judgment also upheld the PTI as the largest party in the National Assembly.
Article 17 (2) of the Constitution of Pakistan states that every citizen of Pakistan, not in public service, shall have the right to form or become a member of a political party. However, in the interest of the sovereignty or integrity of the State, reasonable restrictions may be imposed on that party by law.
Apart from this, any political party formed in a manner prejudicial to the sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan or doing such acts, the matter shall be referred to the Supreme Court within 15 days of the Central Government declaring such. In this case, the decision of the Supreme Court will be considered final.
Imran Khan, who served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, has been imprisoned for almost a year.
