Haleem lashes out at govt for suggesting banning PTI

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh on Sunday flayed the government for suggesting banning the PTI, saying that the party had secured the most seats in the general elections, which makes it impossible to be banned.

Speaking at a press conference at the Insaf House Karachi, along with other PTI leaders, Sheikh said Tehreek-e-Insaf is the largest party in the country. “How can a major party be banned?”

He highlighted the current situation where judges are standing up for the rule of law. He claimed that a conspiracy is afoot to turn the judges’ majority into a minority by appointing ad hoc judges.

One such name is former Sindh caretaker chief minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, he said. He noted that Sindh’s lawyers are actively opposing these appointments, with majority of the bar associations passing resolutions against ad hoc judges and recording their protests.

He affirmed the nation’s unwavering support for PTI founder Imran Khan, saying that just as the public had elected the party’s representatives in the general elections, they continue to stand by Khan today.

He criticised the “manipulation of Form 47, which resulted in the theft of the PTI’s seats, granting power to a party with only 18 seats”. He stressed that in Karachi and Hyderabad, “a party with no seats was given 18 National Assembly seats, effectively robbing the PTI of its rightful representation”.

He announced the party’s plans for holding a large rally in Karachi, saying that the nation is ready. He urged the decision makers to learn from the examples of Kenya, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Kashmir, where people united to reclaim their rights. “Political stability is crucial for overall stability in Pakistan.”

Advocate Intezar Hussain Punjotha discussed the challenges faced by the PTI after May 9. “We were marked for elimination, but media and social media brought us to where we are today. The entire nation still stands with Imran Khan.”

Punjotha claimed that the true representatives of Karachi’s national and provincial assemblies are at the Insaf House, while the fake representatives sit in the assemblies. He said Khan has firmly embedded himself in the hearts of the people. He highlighted the ongoing attempts to create divisions within society, emphasising that such actions are unprecedented in history.

He condemned the violence against peaceful protesters in Bannu who were holding peace flags, and reaffirmed Khan’s consistent stance against operations. “Imran Khan believes that peace cannot be achieved through operations, especially without the consent of the provincial government.”

He questioned the need for operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting that the provincial government had claimed that the situation was under control. He also pointed out that despite the difficult times, the public stands firmly with Khan.

He noted that while Khan has been honourably acquitted in major cases, “new false cases are being fabricated against him”. “The world witnessed the dismissal of the previous false cases,” he stressed. He expressed confidence that the new ones would also be dismissed soon, leading to Khan’s release.