Pakistan to Ban PTI

By Mahvish Akhtar

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Monday, July 15th, 2024, that the country plans to ban Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

This decision comes in retaliation to the Supreme Court’s decision, handed down days before declaring PTI eligible for a share of seats reserved in National and Provincial assemblies.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa headed this 13-member bench. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah announced the 8-5 majority verdict, setting aside the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order wherein it had upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision denying the reserved seats to the SIC.

The ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict declaring PTI eligible for reserved seats. The PML-N plea stated that SC’s order to award reserved seats to PTI on the SIC plea is tantamount to a violation of the law.

Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and party spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the government’s decision “betrays their complete panic”.

“After realizing that they cannot threaten the courts or put them under duress, or they cannot blackmail judges anymore, they have decided to make this move via cabinet. All their attempts to stop us have been declared illegal by the courts,” he said.

“No patriot can think of banning the largest and most popular party of the country, as doing so would be tantamount to uprooting the foundation of Pakistan and sending the country toward civil war,” the party’s official post said on social media platform X.

PTI Punjab Acting President Hammad Azhar said, “Allowing/facilitating TLP (Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan) to come to Islamabad & have a sit-in whilst at the same time trying to ban PTI. The establishment is going by the old playbook, but times have now changed.”

Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan strongly opposed the ban, saying, “We oppose the ban on PTI. Our history shows that we have never supported undemocratic and dictatorial measures,” Wali Khan emphasized on Tuesday.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman said in a statement that “the use of force will only increase political instability.”

The Pakistani government says that there is clear evidence for a ban. Ataullah further declared that cases under Article 6 will be initiated against former President Arif Alvi, PTI founder Imran Khan, and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
The PML-N leader reiterated that the government is acting in the state’s interest and is pursuing justice for the May 9 incidents and foreign funding allegations against PTI.
Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman also voiced surprise over the government’s decision, stating that the PPP had no prior indication of such a move, “The rule of law should prevail, and the public is already suffering under the current conditions.”

Former federal minister and senior leader of Pakistan PML-N, Javed Latif, thinks that imposing restrictions on political parties is not the solution to issues.
He stressed that “Restricting political parties does not solve issues. People sitting in offices and individuals from parties should not misinterpret my words. If the state faces threats, it is not national parties and leaders who pose that danger, but those opposing the country.”
He further said, “Some individuals in institutions should resolve their grudges with each other for the sake of the state. The desire to demean each other is not in Pakistan’s interest. We are dragged into others’ wars, and they escape unscathed.”

On Saturday, speaking to the media in Lahore, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that no decision has been made regarding the ban on PTI yet. He also stated that any decision will only be taken after consultation with coalition partners.
He emphasized that the current economic challenges are the result of bad choices made by previous governments and not the work of this government. Speaking of PTI’s alleged foreign funding, Dar detailed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) possesses concrete evidence that PTI is a foreign-funded party. He mentioned the May 9th incident, which he described as “condemnable” and stated that those involved should be accordingly punished.

During a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed apprehension about Islamabad’s potential restrictions on PTI.
“We have observed public statements from the government regarding potential restrictions on PTI,” Miller stated. “Banning a political party would be of great concern to us. We advocate for respect for democratic principles and people’s fundamental rights, which are essential not only in Pakistan but also globally.”