Islamabad: Pakistan plans to ban former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, according to a statement made by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday.
The decision stems from several reasons, including the proven charge that Khan’s PTI received illegal foreign funds, as well as rioting by the party’s leadership and supporters last year that targeted military installations, Tarar explained.
“The federal government will move a case to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf,” Tarar said, noting that the matter would be escalated to the cabinet and the Supreme Court if necessary.
PTI candidates contested the February 8 election as independents after the party was barred from the polls. The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that PTI was eligible for more than 20 extra reserved seats in parliament, increasing pressure on the country’s weak coalition government. It is currently unclear how the proposed ban would affect the court’s decision to allocate reserved seats.
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Tarar also mentioned that the government would seek a legal review of the reserved seats issue. Imran Khan, who has been jailed since August, was acquitted on Saturday, along with his third wife, on charges related to their allegedly unlawful marriage. Despite the acquittal, he will not be released as authorities have issued new orders for his arrest.
Khan, who rose to power in 2018, was ousted in 2022 after a fallout with Pakistan’s powerful military.
