Pakistan is considering banning former prime minister Imran Khan’s party for attacking the state, the defense minister said on Wednesday, a move that could infuriate party supporters and exacerbate clashes with the military .
The former prime minister is embroiled in the latest and most critical phase of a decades-long rivalry between civilian politicians and powerful military men, who have directly ruled or supervised governments throughout Pakistan’s history.
The clash sparked widespread protests from Khan’s supporters, raising fresh fears about the stability of the country grappling with the worst economic crisis in decades.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters that the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party attacked “the very foundations of the state”, which cannot be tolerated.
“The possibility of banning the PTI is being considered,” he said, adding that parliament would have to give final approval to the government’s decision to ban the party.
The minister referred to protests by Khan’s supporters, who attacked military installations this month, including army barracks and government buildings.
PTI party lawyer Ali Zafar said any such measure would be challenged in court. He said that an entire party cannot be held responsible for acts committed by individuals.
Khan became prime minister in 2018 with the tacit backing of the military, although both sides denied this at the time. He subsequently fell out with the generals and was ousted from office after losing a confidence vote in 2022.
Khan is also facing corruption allegations which he dismissed as an attempt to ban him from politics, having been arrested on May 9 in connection with the allegations, prompting protests from his supporters and attacks on military installations. He was later released on bail.
Source: Terra
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