The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has accused the federal government of attempting to ban the party out of desperation following a Supreme Court ruling in PTI’s favor regarding reserved seats. Speaking to Geo News, senior PTI leader Senator Ali Zafar declared that his party would not allow the implementation of the government’s decision, deeming it unlawful.
Zafar’s comments were in response to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s announcement that the government had decided to ban the PTI and file treason charges against its founder Imran Khan and former president Arif Alvi. Zafar criticized this move, asserting that there is no legal provision allowing the government to ban a political party. He claimed that Tarar’s statement disqualified him and promised that the PTI would challenge any such decision in court.
Zafar also suggested that Tarar’s announcement was made out of desperation following the Supreme Court’s judgment on reserved seats, labeling the decision to ban the PTI as illegal.
The government’s decision to ban PTI and file treason charges is based on several factors, including allegations of the party receiving illegal foreign funds and involvement in riots targeting military installations last year, according to Minister Tarar. However, Zafar argued that Tarar, despite being a lawyer, lacks an understanding of the law. He dismissed the relevance of Article 6, which pertains to high treason, asserting that merely violating the law does not qualify as high treason.
Zafar warned that if the government pursued such actions, it could lead to widespread treason charges against many individuals, which he found regrettable. He expressed confidence that the government’s case would be indefensible in court.
Regarding the government’s decision to file a review petition against the Supreme Court’s reserved seats verdict, Zafar acknowledged their Constitutional right to do so. However, he reminded them that the same judges who issued the original verdict would hear the review petition and noted that such reviews are rarely successful. He believed the Supreme Court’s decision would stand, as it was reached after thorough consideration.
