PPP to spell out stance after consultative meeting

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party officially kept its silence without offering any policy statement over the government’s announcement of the decision to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

The Spokesman of the Sindh government Barrister Arslan Islam Sheikh said that the PPP will come up with its stance after holding its meeting with Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the chair.

In a video posted on his account on X, the Spokesman of the Sindh government Barrister Arslan Islam Sheikh said PPP is a democratic political party and never supported a ban of any political party if the political party operates under the ambit of the constitution, law of land and follow the democratic norms.

Arsalan said the PPP always opposed terrorist organisations, adding that as far as PTI is concerned, it will have to prove before the nation through its behaviour and thinking that it is a democratic political party.

Referring to government’s claim of taking PPP on board regarding decision on banning the PTI, Arslan Islam said consultation are to be made before the decision. In his reaction, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon stated on his social media account “X” that whatever is happening today is because of “the attitude of PTI leadership and their extremist policies.” Imran Khan is responsible for this situation. “Violence, extremism and fascism can’t work along with politics of Pakistan,” he stated on X.

The former chairman of Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, opposed the government’s decision. He said that the talk of banning a political party is against all the norms of democracy and the government should refrain from taking such a step which will add to political chaos and bog down the economy. “Such a step has always been unsuccessful and has always been thrown in the dustbin of history,” he said.

Rabbani said the consequent economic and political chaos can be a recipe for destabilising the entire democratic system, which if happens, will have an effect on the federation, given the already sharp internal faultlines. He said if the government is aggrieved by the full court’s judgment, it should follow a constitutional way and file a review petition. The government, he said, should concentrate on curbing the increasing trend of internal terrorism, as a consequence of which members of the armed forces, security forces, police and civilians are being targeted.

Another senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar took to his “X” account to oppose the proposed government move, saying “The talk of banning a political party or trial of a political leader for treason is rubbish.” “Unsustainable. Compounding political crisis,” he wrote on X. Babar said US democracy will sustain its current crisis. “Pakistani democracy, indeed state itself, is unlikely to sustain self-imposed crisis. Be warned,” he posted on X.

During a media talk in Sukkur, PPP senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah said the government did not the his party into confidence on the government’s decision and the information reached the party through media. Khursheed Shah said “I cannot give a final opinion until the party policy comes. The final opinion of the PPP will be my opinion and so far no final opinion has been formed by the party yet,” he said.

He said that in his opinion, the political issues must be countered politically, as otherwise the problems cannot be addressed. He said everyone must pool in to solve the problems and avoid the politics of division. He said that while Dr Arif Alvi, Qasim Suri and Imran Khan violated the constitution but that will be decided by the courts.

Shah said that it is sad to say that the foundation of intolerance and extremist politics was laid by PTI’s founder and its negative effects are continuing. He said the real problem is country’s economy which is worsening due to some court decisions. Khurshid Shah said the prime minister’s statement that he would resign and would not come under pressure has also raised doubts. “It is necessary to clarify whether this pressure is from the court, from the establishment or the parliament,” Khursheed asked.