ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is considering banning Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for attacking the state, the defence minister said yesterday.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters that PTI party had attacked the “very basis of state”, which could not be tolerated. “It is under consideration to ban PTI,” he said, adding the parliament would have to give final approval for a government decision to ban the party.
Asif told reporters that PTI party had attacked the “very basis of state”, which could not be tolerated. “It is under consideration to ban PTI,” he said, adding the parliament would have to give final approval for a government decision to ban the party.
Also yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, expressing his resolve to bring the elements behind May 9 arson and vandalism attacks to justice, reiterated that the nation would not let such ‘barbaric incidents’ happen in future.
The prime minister assured that as chief executive of the country, it was his onus to ensure legal proceedings under the law and Constitution, against all those rioters and miscreants who had planned, abetted and executed attacks on different civilian and military installations across Pakistan.
The prime minister was addressing “Azmat-e-Shuhada Convention” held here to pay tribute to the country’s martyrs.
The convention was attended by a large number of families of Shuhada, governors, members of parliament, federal and provincial ministers, ambassadors, legislators, civil society members, Ulema and senior officials.
The prime minister said the incidents of May 9 were intolerable and unpardonable as the monuments and statues of Shuhada of armed forces and law enforcing agencies were vandalized.
“We will not let it happen again and will keep the National Flag high. We will not allow anyone to malign our armed forces,” he said, adding they would make all the perpetrators of May 9 incidents to face the law.
As the prime minister, he assured that the law would take its course, stressing that people behind the incidents would not be given any concession and would not be pardoned as ‘they had crossed the red line’.
He said those elements also hurt the sentiments of the families of Shuhada. Such a heart wrenching spectacle was never witnessed in the past.
‘Is there any crime that was not committed on May 9?’
The defence minister referred to Khan’s supporters who attacked military installations, including army headquarters, and government buildings.
“Is there any crime that was not committed on May 9? The ISI office was attacked, they tried to enter the Cantonment in Sialkot but that attack was repulsed … they also set fire to the Lahore Corps Commander’s house.
“There is clarity amongst all of us that these things could be done by India, but not by someone inside Pakistan.”
Army’s anger ‘valid’
The minister said that the army’s reservations regarding the violence in the country on May 9 were “valid”.
Asif said that dealing with the current situation had resulted in a “new situation”. The coalition government will take every such step to prevent others from targeting the armed forces in the future, he said.
The minister said that May 25 will be celebrated and tribute would be paid to the country’s martyrs. He said that honouring martyrs was the norm in the world over.
“Till now, he [Imran] has not condemned [the violence] in clear words. He says that he did not know, he was [in custody]. He had his phone […] he repeatedly that this reaction was expected and will happen again if he is arrested. Imran Khan sees the army as his adversary,” Asif said.
“His entire politics was done in the lap of the army and today he has suddenly decided to stand against it,” he told media persons in Islamabad. “Whatever I am saying is being said by all the people leaving PTI.
“They have said that everything happened with planning. Infact, they were facilitated.”
Imran ready to form committee
Meanwhile, Imran Khan said that he is ready to constitute a committee for talks with “anyone who is in power today”.
“I am making this committee and I say two things: If they tell the committee that they have a solution and the country can function better without me. Or they tell the committee what benefit will Pakistan gain from holding elections in October.
“Convince us on these two things. I am forming a committee and I will announce this tomorrow.”
He also said said that this ‘oppression’ will not eliminate PTI but will in fact increase its popularity.
“I can say this with confidence that whenever I distribute the PTI tickets and whoever I give them to … they will win,” he said.
