Govt announced PTI ban move 'pre-maturely', admits defence minister

• "Sooner or later" constitutional breakdown to happen: minister.
• Says decision to ban PTI to be taken with broader consensus.
• Denies perception of govt acting as facilitator against Imran Khan.

Amid facing opposition from friends and foes alike, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has admitted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government announced the move to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in haste.

“Yes, you can say that we declared this prematurely and consultation with the allies [in this regard] is mandatory,” the federal minister said while speaking on the Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath on Thursday.

In a surprise announcement on Monday, Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar announced that the federal government had decided to impose a ban on the PTI over its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and try former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-president Arif Alvi and then deputy speaker Qasim Suri under Article 6 (high treason) for dissolving National Assembly in April 2022.

Besides the PTI, other political parties including leaders belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — the PML-N’s key ally in the Centre, — opposed the move and termed it against the democratic norms.

In today’s show, Asif said any decision regarding imposing a ban on the PTI would be taken in line with the consensus among the allies. “We will take this major step after creating broad consensus InshaAllah.”

When asked about the perception that the incumbent rulers are playing the role of facilitator in the institutions alleged fight against jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, the defence minister rejected the perception saying: “This is about Pakistan”.

“Since their [PTI] ouster from power and the attitude they adopted, the PTI has become an existential threat to the country,” the senior PML-N leader said, adding that the embattled party receiving all-out support from the US “either diplomatic or legislative”.

He also claimed that the PTI hired lobbyists in the US “who have generated garnered [them] support of different lobbies”.

Against the backdrop of the federal government’s criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring the PTI eligible for the reserved seats for minorities and women, Asif expressed fears about a “constitutional meltdown” in the country.

“I don’t have any information [but] this is just my gut feeling that constitutional breakdown is about to happen.. sooner or later [but] it is going to happen,” he said without elaborating further.

However, he clarified that he is not discussing the possibility of martial law being imposed in the country.

“There should be a political solution to political problems,” he said.