olitical instability is likely to surge in the coming weeks as fresh cases are being registered against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s incarcerated founder, Imran Khan, and other party leaders. On the one hand, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government has decided to try Imran Khan, former president Arif Alvi and former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri, and seek a ban on the PTI; on the other, its Punjab government has decided to register fresh cases against PTI leaders for spreading a narrative of hate targeting state institutions. The polarisation can only lead the country into deeper crises.

The registration of fresh cases is a relatively simple matter. The plan to ban the PTI and try the top PTI leadership under treason charges, however, will set a new trend in polarisation.

The government unveiled these plans after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the allocation of reserved seats to the PTI in the National Assembly and the Provincial Assemblies in accordance with its general seats strength. Information Minister Atta Tarar told a news conference on July 15 that the government had decided to ban the PTI because there was strong evidence that the party was working to destabilise the country. He said that the government would move the Supreme Court in this regard.

But that was not all. He dropped another bomb. “The government plans to charge Khan, Alvi and Suri under treason charges for breaching the constitution,” he added. The minister also said that the government will file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s verdict in the reserved seats case.

The presser invited criticism of the PML-N, from various political and non-political groups. Senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said, “His new conference and its contents sounded like a joke.”

Tarar also said that the government would take its allies into confidence before moving the courts on these matters.

At this stage, it can be comfortably predicted that the PPP and the ANP will resist any move to ban the PTI. Both these parties have faced bans in the past and survived and formed or shared federal and provincial governments.

Rana Sanaullah, political advisor to the prime minister, has said that the government can issue a declaration to ban any party under Article 17 of the constitution. However, the government is bound to produce the declaration to the Supreme Court within 15 days after issuance. If the apex court concurs, the party stands banned.

On trying Khan, Alvi and Suri under treason charges, Senator Ali Zafar, a PTI stalwart, has said, “The PTI leaders have not suspended or violated the constitution. Therefore, Article 6 cannot be invoked against them.”

However, other jurists hold that they could have been tried under Article 6 after (the then) deputy speaker Qasim Suri issued a ruling to block the no-confidence motion against then prime minister Imran Khan, saying that the motion was an outcome of a US conspiracy and therefore, could not be moved. After this ruling, the prime minister sent an advice to the president for dissolution of the National Assembly, which the president signed. The Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo motu notice of the situation and declared the advice unconstitutional, directing the National Assembly to complete the process of no-confidence motion.

The PTI leaders tried to block a constitutional process through a narrative. Therefore, the PDM government could have charged them under Article 6 any time after April 2022. What stopped the government from doing that then is not known. Now, it may be too late.

On May 25, the Punjab government decided to register fresh cases against PTI leaders for spreading a narrative of hate. “The Punjab cabinet approved legal action against former prime minister Imran Khan and other party leaders for spreading a hate-based narrative against state institutions,” Azma Bokhari, the Punjab information minister told a presser after a cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

“Khan is trying to become Mujeeb-ur Rehman by spreading hate against institutions. Therefore, the Punjab cabinet has decided to take action against the PTI leaders.” The minister added that the Home Department would soon take appropriate steps.

In this regard, a new FIR against Imran Khan has been registered for masterminding the attack on Jinnah House [also known as the Corps Commander’s House] in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau has filed another reference against Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi over the Tausha Khana gifts. An accountability court has granted the NAB an eight-day physical remand.

More cases are expected over the coming days. These moves show that the government has failed to counter PTI’s narratives. Recent judgments by the courts indicate that the PTI is successfully following its policy of keeping all political and other stakeholders under pressure.

The only way forward is a new covenant among all stakeholders to take the country forward.

The writer is a senior journalist, teacher of journalism, writer and analyst. He tweets at @BukhariMubasher