May 9 vandalism: Ban on PTI under review, says Khawaja Asif

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Wednesday said the government is reviewing a possible ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) owing to the riots on May 9 in cities across the country.

“If a decision is taken regarding a ban on PTI, it will be referred to the Parliament,” the minister said, addressing a presser in Islamabad.

The leaders, workers and supporters of the party took to the streets engaging in violent protests after their chairman Imran Khan was arrested by Rangers on orders issued by the National Accountability Bureau in the £190m settlement case.

During the destructive demonstrations, PTI workers and supporters damaged public and private properties including military installations and buildings. They also resorted to arson and burned the Corp Commander House, also known as the Jinnah House, in Lahore.

The armed forces have, since then, resolved to punish the arsonists and those involved in anti-state activities on the day of the protests. According to the ISPR, they will now be tried in the military courts.

“The PTI has challenged the state’s writ. He has nefarious ambitions that could only be of an Indian and not a Pakistani,” the minister said.

Asif added that the Khan-led party has attacked the foundations of the state. “Is there a crime that didn’t happen on May 9?”

He said that the miscreants involved in the violent episode had nefarious motives. “All the steps taken by Imran Khan were celebrated in India.”

Referring to the events that unfolded ahead of the vote of no confidence against Khan in April last year, Asif said: “All the steps taken by Imran Khan after April 9 have cost him. We did not harm him. He is suffering due to his own actions.”

The minister, who is also a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said the PTI chief claimed he wasn’t familiar with the events of May 9. “Imran Khan has now said that if arrested again, there will be a reaction again. He shouldn’t act so innocent.”

The defence czar added that there are no examples of event like May 9 in the past. “Imran Khan played a gamble which he lost. Now he wants to negotiate under the pretence of trickery.”

The minister rubbished international pressure over the ongoing crackdown against PTI leaders, workers and supporters.

The US State Department, last week, commented on the crackdown since riots ensued across the country and said that arrests should be carried out in accordance with the law. The department's spokesperson said the US believed in non-violent protests and urged that government employees or public properties should not be damaged during the protests.

However, it also mentioned that the US position on access to information, and press freedom is clear.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International and other allied rights organisations have also urged Pakistani authorities to stop clamping down on the political opposition through mass arrests, arbitrary detention, and charging people under vague anti-terrorism laws. It has demanded that all those arrested, solely for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly, be released immediately.

All the evidence is surfacing that the May 9 events took place under a plan, he said, adding that the miscreants had been facilitated.

Asif stated that the planning for terrorist acts had been going on for a year. The suspects who had been arrested in relation with the incidents of violence revealed that the attacks were pre-planned.

“Attacking military installations was Khan's last resort. The events of May 9, challenged the writ of the state,” Asif said.

The minister went on to say that PTI had challenged the state. Asif then announced that May 9 will be observed to honour the martyrs as the entire world respects their martyrs.

'PTI can't be banned'

Meanwhile, PTI lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar has rubbished the possibility of a ban on the party, saying that the political parties cannot be banned.

The statement came in response to a question during media talk outside Supreme Court. The lawyer referred to a past case of banning Jamat-e-Islami (JI).

"An attempt had been made to ban Jamat-e-Islami a long time ago but the Supreme Court ruled that a ban cannot be imposed as it was a basic right of everyone to create a political party," Zafar said.

He said that as far as the riots were concerned, it was an individual act if anyone engages in vandalism. He said that an action can be taken against the vandals but the party cannot be banned on its basis.

Zafar further stated that there were different laws for dealing with any entity spreading chaos and terror.

"The Supreme Court (SC) would nullify it in a single day of hearing in case such a step is taken," he said while referring to the possible restriction on PTI.