Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a federal cabinet meeting today to discuss the potential ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The cabinet will seek approval for the ban and discuss the current political climate in Pakistan.
Recently, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ataullah Tarar, announced that the federal authorities plan to impose a ban on PTI. He made these remarks during a press conference, stating that legal action under the Constitution’s Article 6 would be taken against Pakistan’s former President Arif Alvi, PTI founder Imran Khan, and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
Measures like blocking passports and identity cards and passing a parliamentary resolution will also be considered, with actions being taken within the bounds of the constitution and law.
Pakistan Police Raid PTI Headquarters
Meanwhile, Pakistan police raided the headquarters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party on Monday, a week after the military-backed government vowed to ban the political movement. The headquarters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sealed off by officers, who led a number of party workers into waiting vans.
The official confirmed the arrest of Raoof Hassan, a founding member of the party and head of its press department. In the past two months, at least 10 members of PTI or their relatives have been rounded up, Hasan said. He said they had “disappeared” with “no trace”.
Khan has been jailed for nearly a year, but this month an Islamabad judge overturned his illegal marriage conviction while the Supreme Court awarded PTI more parliamentary seats — a move set to make them the largest party in the National Assembly.
Both cases were considered a major blow to the coalition of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who came to power in February with the backing of the Pak Army.
United Nations panel of experts found this month that Khan’s detention had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office.