Pakistan considering banning Imran Khan's PTI: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
The move came after Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case on May 9, 2023 sparked massive protests across the country.
- May 24, 2023,
- Updated May 24, 2023 4:14 PM IST
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the government is considering banning former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
"It is under consideration to ban PTI," Asif told reporters.
"The PTI has attacked very basis of the state, that never happened before. It can't be tolerated," he added.
The move came after Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case on May 9, 2023 sparked massive protests across the country.
Khan was arrested by an anti-graft agency in the Al Qadir Trust case from Islamabad High Court. Pakistani authorities have alleged that Khan and his wife received land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through a charitable trust.
After his arrest, massive and violent protests broke out in several cities including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
A large number of PTI workers stormed into the Corps Commander Lahore residence.Emergency was imposed in Punjab province and Pakistani Rangers were called to control the law-and-order situation in the state. Section 144 was also imposed, under which not more than five people can gather at one point.
Pakistan Telecommunication authority was also requested by the Punjab government to suspend the internet in the state for 2 days.
A large number of PTI workers also pelted stones at the residence of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in Faisalabad.
Khan was granted bail by the Supreme court on May 11 ruling that the manner of his arrest was illegal.
On May 12, the Islamabad high court then formally granted his bail for 2 weeks in Al Qadir Trust case.
Khan became prime minister in 2018 with the tacit support of the military, though both sides denied it at the time. The military saw Khan, with his conservative, nationalist agenda, as likely to ensure the protection of its interests.
But Khan later fell out with the generals after being seen as having tried to interfere in key promotions in the security sphere, and he was ousted as prime minister after losing a confidence vote in 2022.
Khan, 70, has since then been campaigning for a snap general election, rallying supporters across the country, but the prime minister who replaced him, Shahbaz Sharif, has rejected the call for an election before one is due late this year.
With inputs from agencies
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the government is considering banning former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
"It is under consideration to ban PTI," Asif told reporters.
"The PTI has attacked very basis of the state, that never happened before. It can't be tolerated," he added.
The move came after Imran Khan’s arrest in a corruption case on May 9, 2023 sparked massive protests across the country.
Khan was arrested by an anti-graft agency in the Al Qadir Trust case from Islamabad High Court. Pakistani authorities have alleged that Khan and his wife received land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through a charitable trust.
After his arrest, massive and violent protests broke out in several cities including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
A large number of PTI workers stormed into the Corps Commander Lahore residence.Emergency was imposed in Punjab province and Pakistani Rangers were called to control the law-and-order situation in the state. Section 144 was also imposed, under which not more than five people can gather at one point.
Pakistan Telecommunication authority was also requested by the Punjab government to suspend the internet in the state for 2 days.
A large number of PTI workers also pelted stones at the residence of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in Faisalabad.
Khan was granted bail by the Supreme court on May 11 ruling that the manner of his arrest was illegal.
On May 12, the Islamabad high court then formally granted his bail for 2 weeks in Al Qadir Trust case.
Khan became prime minister in 2018 with the tacit support of the military, though both sides denied it at the time. The military saw Khan, with his conservative, nationalist agenda, as likely to ensure the protection of its interests.
But Khan later fell out with the generals after being seen as having tried to interfere in key promotions in the security sphere, and he was ousted as prime minister after losing a confidence vote in 2022.
Khan, 70, has since then been campaigning for a snap general election, rallying supporters across the country, but the prime minister who replaced him, Shahbaz Sharif, has rejected the call for an election before one is due late this year.
With inputs from agencies