Shahbaz government considering banning PTI, how will this affect Imran’s popularity, how history is repeating itself in Pakistan?

The difficulties of Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of neighboring country Pakistan and President of Tehreek-e-Insaf Party, are not reducing. Imran, who is fighting with the Shahbaz government and the army, is continuously getting relief from the court. But after the continuous arrests of PTI leaders, now many of their colleagues have also started saying goodbye to Imran. Those who left the party include the names of five big leaders including his cabinet minister Shireen Mazari. At the same time, there is news that Imran Khan’s party PTI can also be banned. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Yusuf has given such indications.

what did the defense minister say

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that the government is considering banning PTI over the events of 9 May. He told media persons in Islamabad that no decision has been taken yet, but a review is definitely underway. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the sabotage of military installations across the country on 9 May were coordinated attacks planned by PTI chairman Imran Khan. There is a lot of evidence and his people themselves are saying that they were told about this in advance. He told media persons in Islamabad that I think his struggle of one year… all his plans failed and this was his last step against the armed forces.

PTI under pressure

Karachi-based analyst Tauseef Ahmad Khan said anyone who challenges Pakistan’s military faces the wrath of the country’s most powerful institution. Talking to a private media, he told that the former Prime Minister could be prosecuted and he could be banned from contesting again. He said that such pressure would affect the party, forcing the leaders to disassociate themselves from Khan. So, in a way it will be scrapped. Asma Shirazi, a commentator based in Islamabad, agreed that Khan’s party may not be able to escape the pressure.

Will the ban affect Khan’s popularity?

For now, the former prime minister remains Pakistan’s most popular leader. Islamabad-based academic Noor Fatima believes a ban on her party would hurt her rivals more than Khan himself. He pointed out that this would not be a wise decision, adding that political plurality strengthens democracy. He said, “If the government ends this plurality by banning PTI, it will damage the democratic credibility of the ruling parties, affecting their vote bank and not Khan’s.

History repeating itself?

If Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is banned, it would not be the first party to be outlawed following the outcry of Pakistan’s military. In the 1960s, the religious Jamaat-e-Islami party was outlawed. During the 1970s, the leftist National Awami Party was also outlawed. Many sectarian and religious organizations were banned under General Pervez Musharraf, who ruled the country for nearly nine years after seizing power in a military coup in 1999. The Karachi-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement has also faced an unofficial ban in the past, as did the Pakistan People’s Party during the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq from 1977 to 1988.