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The troubles for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appear far from over. In the latest move against the jailed former cricketer-turned-politician, the Pakistan government on Monday announced his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing a potential ban due to alleged anti-state activities.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar informed reporters in Islamabad that the federal government has resolved to present a case to the Supreme Court to ban Imran Khan’s political party. He asserted that there is substantial evidence to justify the restrictions on the party, and the government will commence legal proceedings.
Imran Khan, who is 71 years old, founded PTI in 1996. The party ascended to power in 2018, with Khan serving as Prime Minister until 2022, when he was ousted after a dispute with the military establishment, which holds significant influence over civilian politics. Khan was disqualified from running in the February election due to a graft conviction.
Despite these setbacks, PTI loyalists won more seats than any other party in the February election, though an alliance kept them from gaining power. A PTI spokesperson told AFP that the party would not tolerate the government's attempt to ban it.
PTI wins 20 extra reserved seats in parliament
In a landmark ruling on Friday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court granted PTI additional parliamentary seats after party members were forced to run as independents in the February 8 election. The election commission had ruled that independents were ineligible for the 70 reserved seats, which are allocated based on the number of seats won by parties.
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This decision bolsters the political position of Khan's supporters, who claim the election commission and a pro-military caretaker government engaged in electoral fraud to deprive them of a victory.
Imran Khan acquitted in illegal marriage case
Additionally, Khan’s conviction for illegal marriage, which carried a seven-year sentence, was overturned by an Islamabad court on Saturday. However, he remains jailed due to other ongoing cases.
According to Islamic law, a woman must wait four months before remarrying after a divorce or the death of her husband. Khan and Bushra Bibi challenged their sentence in the district and session court of Islamabad, where Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Afzal Majoka presided over the case. The judge, who had reserved the verdict earlier in the day, announced in the afternoon that Khan, 71, and Bushra, 49, were acquitted.
The UN panel of experts recently stated that Khan’s detention lacks a legal basis and appears intended to disqualify him from running for political office.
[With inputs from agencies]
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