UPDATE 2 - Pakistan government moves to ban jailed ex-Premier Khan's party

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's government seeks to ban the party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, and try him along with former President Arif Alvi for treason, the information minister said on Monday, a move likely to further deepen an ongoing political crisis in the South Asian country.

Addressing a news conference in the capital Islamabad, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government will approach the Supreme Court after approval from the Cabinet, which is a legal requirement to ban a political party.

"Pakistan and the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) cannot progress together. And a series of recent events have proved this," Tarar said.

"That's why, the government is going to ban the PTI," he said, adding that the process will be initiated in the next few days.

He said the government will also file a reference against Alvi, Khan, and the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, under Article 6 of the Constitution — which corresponds to high treason — for dissolving the assemblies in April 2022 after a no-confidence motion was moved in the lower house.

The move came days after the Supreme Court declared the PTI eligible for a share in the 70 reserved seats for women and minorities, making it the largest opposition party in parliament. The minister said the verdict would be challenged.

Tarar cited PTI's alleged involvement in attacks on military installations in May, receiving "prohibited" funding, and supposed efforts to sabotage a government-IMF deal to justify the decision.

- PTI rejects government move

The PTI rejected the government's decision, terming it tantamount to "rupture the country's foundation."

"No patriotic Pakistani can (even) think to ban the country's largest and popular political party. This is tantamount to rupture the country's foundation, and plunge the country into (a) civil war," the party said in a statement posted on X.

- Violation of Constitution

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also opposed the move, dubbing it as a "flagrant" violation of the Constitution.

In a statement, the HRCP demanded that the government immediately withdraw this "unconstitutional" decision.

Khan, 72, who was ousted through a no-trust vote in April 2022, has been in jail since August 2023 for alleged involvement in multiple corruption and violence-related cases. The cricketer-turned-politician has been acquitted in two of three cases he was convicted in, whereas his third sentence remains suspended.