Government mulling ban on Imran Khan's PTI, says Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in a televisedaddress on Wednesday said that former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party could be banned.

Asif said the government is considering the proposition as PTI and its members had attacked the "very basis of the state".

"It is under consideration to ban PTI," said Asif, adding, "The PTI has attacked the very basis of the state, that never happened before. It can't be tolerated."

Talking about the violence that erupted in the aftermath of Imran's arrest earlier this month, Asif said,“Whatever happened on May 9 wasn’t spontaneous. It was pre-planned, so in this background there are chances we consider theban.”

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However, he addedno decision had been taken so far. After Asif's statement,Senator Syed Ali Zafar, one of Imran's lawyers told reporters,“If such a step is taken I am sure this court will cancel it instantly.”

Experts have warned that Asif's statement has the potential of further deepening the political divide in the country. If the government does go ahead with the decision, it could set the stage for a civil war.

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PTI in doldrums

The statement by Asif comes a day after PTI Vice ChairmanShah Mahmood Qureshi was rearrested by Punjab Police from outside Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail and whisked away to an unknown location, minutes after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered his release.

The IHC had ordered the release of the PTI vice chairman after he submitted an undertaking in front of Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb that he would refrain from agitation and inciting party workers, according to local media reports. He had been arrested in cases related to riots and arsons in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Imran's close aide and former human rights ministerShireen Mazari resigned from the party after she was arrested by the police over the recent violence.

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Speaking at a press conference, she criticised the violence that broke out after Khan was arrested on May 9, adding that a similar undertaking was given by her in the Islamabad High Court.

"Not only the May 9-10 violence, but I’ve always condemned every kind of violence especially against state institutions and symbols like the General Headquarters, Supreme Court and Parliament,” she stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

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