ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal government’s announcement to ban the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has not been well-received by its key ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as the party has distanced itself from the move, stating that it was not consulted on the decision.
PPP’s Information Secretary, Shazia Atta Marri, clarified that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s party, a crucial ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government, had no prior knowledge of the decision to ban PTI. Marri’s remarks come in the wake of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif government’s announcement to ban PTI due to its involvement in the May 9 riots and alleged attempts by its leaders to sabotage Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The decision to ban PTI was announced by Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar during a press conference on Monday, where he stated that PTI and Pakistan “cannot co-exist.” He mentioned that the proposal to ban the party would be presented to the federal cabinet and the Supreme Court for further action.
Furthermore, Tarar indicated that the government will file treason charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, and former President Arif Alvi for their roles in the cipher case, the dismissal of the no-confidence motion, and the subsequent dissolution of the lower house of the Parliament.
Elaborating on the PPP’s stance, Shazia Marri stated that the party would hold consultations regarding the government’s decision to ban PTI. She emphasized that PPP was not in favor of banning any political party and highlighted the lack of communication from the government on this matter.
Meanwhile, Nasir Hussain Shah, Sindh Planning & Development and Energy Minister, also said that the PPP was not consulted. “We were not consulted,” he reiterated.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman also confirmed Marri and Shah’s statements, noting that the party was unaware that such a drastic measure would be taken by the Centre. Responding to questions about their alliance with the PML-N, Sherry Rehman acknowledged that the government’s move should not come as a surprise given their coalition. However, she stressed the importance of careful consideration and consultation in such significant decisions.
“We have worked with allies before where every step is taken with careful due consideration of its repercussions. I have no idea on what level this whole issue was discussed by the government,” she stated.
When asked if banning PTI would achieve anything, Rehman responded negatively. “My personal opinion is that this won’t achieve anything,” she maintained.
