In a significant escalation of Pakistan's ongoing political crisis, the government announced plans to ban the political party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and pursue treason charges against Khan himself. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar revealed the government's intentions on Monday, citing "proven" charges that PTI received illegal foreign funds and was involved in violent riots targeting military installations last year.
"The federal government will move a case to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf," said Tarar, adding that the decision would be presented to the cabinet for approval. The government also plans to file a legal reference against Khan and former President Arif Alvi for treason under the country's constitution, bringing the matter before the Supreme Court.
This move comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with the need to implement politically unpopular reforms to secure $7 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Economic analyst Khurram Husain commented, "A weak government, hobbled by questions about its legitimacy and consumed with desperate attempts to keep Imran Khan from being released, will struggle to take the kinds of decisions that are needed to keep the IMF program on track."
The planned ban on PTI follows the Supreme Court's recent ruling that the party is eligible for more than 20 extra reserved seats in parliament, intensifying pressure on the already fragile coalition government. PTI candidates contested the February 8 election as independents after the party was barred from the polls. It remains unclear how the planned ban will impact the court's decision on the reserved seats.
Minister Tarar stated that the reasons for the move to ban PTI include the party's lobbying efforts in Washington to get the U.S. House of Representatives to support a resolution against Pakistan's elections and writing to the IMF for an election audit before assisting the country. Independent rights group, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, expressed shock on social media platform X, calling on the government to withdraw its decision.
Khan, who has been in jail since August, was recently acquitted, along with his third wife, on charges related to the legality of their marriage. However, he remains in detention as authorities issued new orders for his arrest. Khan came to power in 2018 but was ousted in 2022 after falling out with Pakistan's powerful military. Since his removal, Khan has faced more than 150 cases, which he claims are politically motivated.
The government's announcement on Monday came shortly after Khan and his wife were acquitted on charges of unlawfully marrying before the mandatory three-month waiting period required by Islamic law. Despite the acquittal, Khan was immediately re-arrested on charges related to last year's riots. These riots erupted following Khan's initial arrest in May 2023, leading to violent demonstrations by his supporters, primarily targeting military installations.
The political turmoil in Pakistan is further compounded by the government's accusations against Khan for allegedly trying to damage diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the United States. Tarar accused Khan of spreading false claims that his ouster was part of a U.S.-led plot, executed by the military and his political rivals, including current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
