Govt set to 'ban' PTI for anti-state activities: Information Minister Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Monday that the federal government has decided to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over its involvement in the anti-state activities and file references against the party's top leaders including Imran Khan, Arif Alvi and Qasim Suri to initiate Article 6 (high treason) proceedings against them. 

"PTI and Pakistan cannot co-exist," Tarar told a press conference in Islamabad, saying that the matter would go to the federal cabinet and the Supreme Court.

The decisions, as per Tarar, were taken in light of the former ruling party's involvement in the May 9 events and the PTI's former or current leaders' attempts to sabotage Pakistan's deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The development comes following PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s indictment in cases related to the May 9 riots and Khan’s arrest in cases pertaining to the incidents taking place on the day.

Touching upon the foreign funding issue, the information minister said that the PTI failed to defend itself in the foreign funding case wherein, he claimed, the ex-ruling party received funds from Indian-born United States citizens.

"Why did you [PTI] seek a stay order [in said case] for six years?" he questioned, adding that the Khan-founded party had nothing to say in its defence.

Stressing that whoever provides financial support to a political party, does so with the hopes that the party would serve its interests if it comes to power, Tarar said that the PTI failed to explain and defend itself regarding the funds received by certain lobbies abroad, including Israeli ones.

Reflecting on the May 9 riots, triggered after Khan's arrest in a graft case wherein party workers and supporters vandalised several military installations, the minister said that the PTI founder targeted national interests for his own personal ones.

"Your whole family was involved in those attacks. Your three sisters were present outside the [Lahore] core commander's house," he said.

He also censured the PTI's government for allegedly providing safe havens to terrorists and resettle them.

"Who gave you the right to re-settle the Taliban [...] and attack the institution that is responsible for guaranteeing the country's sovereignty," he noted.

Treason cases against PTI leaders

Speaking about the time when the then-government decided to dissolve the assemblies during the no-confidence motion against Khan, the minister said the ruling alliance has also decided to move a reference against the then-prime minister, then-president Arif Alvi and then National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri.

He said that this reference, under Article 6, will be sent to the Supreme Court after the cabinet's approval.

Referring to what is known as the cipher case, Tarar said that the PTI founder and his party "played" with the diplomatic cable and used it to create a false narrative around it.

The cipher case controversy revolves around Khan claiming that Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu had sought his removal from the prime minister's office.

The same month, the then NA opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif tabled the no-confidence motion against the then PM Khan.

However, the then NA deputy speaker Suri dismissed the motion citing sufficient evidence of alleged US interference.

Subsequently, the then president Alvi dissolved the lower house on the advice of the then PM Khan.

The SC, however, later restored the NA and it declared the government's decision to dissolve the assembly and Suri's ruling against the Constitution.

Referring to the US House of Representatives Resolution 901 — which urged an impartial probe into the claims of irregularities during the February 8 general elections — underscored that the party, despite creating a narrative on the US intervention behind Khan's ouster, was involved in lobbying in Washington.

"Our ambassador in US Asad Majeed said that there was no threat [but] you [PTI] still maintained that it was otherwise," he said, adding that the party damaged the country's relations with other countries for its own interests.

Lambasting the former ruling party, Tarar said that a perception has been made that the party is "untouchable" despite its leaders being involved in May 9 cases, iddat case or £190 million case.

"He [Khan] was the worst fascist leader. He inherited the pattern of putting mothers and sisters to jail," said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader.

The information minister, speaking about mending ties with the PTI, said that the government's patience and tolerance were considered its weakness.

"No more," said Tarar. "Enough is enough. They have played with the country's fate too much," he added.

"If this country's economy is to prosper, if the people want to advance and if the youth wants jobs and if this country wants to stand with developed countries, then Pakistan and PTI cannot go along together," Tarar asserted.

Review plea on reserved seats verdict

Speaking about the SC verdict which favoured the PTI and said it is eligible for the allocation of the reserved seats, Tarar said the PTI was not a party and its members did not say they are a part of it.

"Everyone submitted Sunni Ittehad Council's affidavit but its manifesto says that no non-Muslim member can join the party, hence, they could not get a seat," he highlighted.

Tarar said that the view is that the PTI was given the relief without even asking. "Keeping in view the legal loophole in this judgement, the government and its allies have decided to file a review petition," he added.

Stressing that the review petition against the SC judgement is justified, the minister said that the women and minorities, who suffered injustices, believe that this review petition should be filed.

"We will ask whether the MNAs who got relief were present in the court, were their affidavit present and did they ask for that relief and should the Election Act 2017 section be nullified," said Tarar.

The government's move comes after the apex court, last week, declared the PTI eligible for the allocation of reserved seats.

The decision not only paved the way for the PTI's return to the parliament, which was kicked out of the February 8 polls owing to the ECP's December 2023 ruling, but has also increased the pressure on the coalition alliance by changing the composition of the NA.

The 8-5 majority verdict declared that the lack or denial of an election symbol does not in any manner affect the Constitutional or legal rights of a political party to participate in an election, whether general or by, and to field candidates and that the commission is under a Constitutional duty to apply all statutory provisions accordingly.