Pakistan considering banning ex-PM Imran Khan's party: Minister

Pakistan's defense minister says the government is considering banning former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for what he described as attacking the “very basis of state," which could not be tolerated. 

“It is under consideration to ban PTI,” Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters during a press briefing on Wednesday, referring to Khan’s protesting supporters who this month attacked military installations, including army headquarters, and government buildings.

He added that the parliament would have to give final approval for a government decision to ban the party.

Khan was arrested on May 9 in connection with the charges, sparking the protests by his supporters and their attacks on the military facilities. He was later freed on bail.

Nearly 1,000 arrested in Pakistan's Punjab amid anger, protests over ex-PM arrest

Pakistani police detain nearly 1,000 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in eastern Punjab Province.

The violence resulting from Khan's arrest has increased instability in the country of 220 million people at a time of severe economic crisis, with high inflation, low growth and delays in funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Protesters attacked military facilities, ransacked the home of a top army general in the eastern city of Lahore and set fire to government buildings and property elsewhere.

Khan was arrested a day after the military, which has great influence in the country, criticized him for accusing a high-ranking officer of plotting to kill him and blaming the former army chief for his ouster last year.

The army has warned Khan's supporters that it will respond firmly if there are more attacks on its properties. Meanwhile, Khan's party has said that it only called for peaceful protests.

Khan says the riots are a conspiracy to discredit and crack down on his party members, while the government says the violence was orchestrated by PTI’s leaders.

Khan was forced out of office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022.

He has been pushing for early polls due no later than October by calling for protests and dissolving the two provincial assemblies his party controls.

But the prime minister who replaced him, Shehbaz Sharif, has rejected the call for an election before the one due by October this year.

After his ouster last year, Khan accused an unnamed "foreign power" - in a clear reference to the United States - of funding a "conspiracy" to topple his democratically-elected government.

Khan said the "foreign power" sent millions of dollars to opposition parties to launch a no-confidence vote against him in the parliament.

Pakistan’s young voters rally behind Khan 

According to a report released by the Guardian on Wednesday, attempts to jail the cricketer-turned- politician seem to have strengthened his support among young voters, who exceed 125 million and account for 44.36% of registered voters.

“The youth are following Khan; he is fighting for us and our future,” said Azra, 20, a student at the University of Karachi.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan accuses US of funding ‘conspiracy’ to topple his government

Pakistan

Khan: Party officials pressured to quit 

Meanwhile, 70-year-old Khan said Wednesday that senior officials are being pressured into resigning, with a former cabinet member the latest aide to quit.

Fawad Chaudhry, the information minister in Khan's government, is the second high-profile aide to resign, following PTI senior vice-president Shireen Mazari on Tuesday.

"This is a crackdown that I have never seen in the history of Pakistan before," Khan said in a video address on Wednesday night.

"If you say that you are part of PTI, then you will face oppression and violence, you will be locked up," he said, adding, "If you say the magic words, 'We are no longer in PTI', then you will be released."

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