Govt postpones decision on PTI ban in cabinet meeting

Decides to seek advice from PPP and other coalition partners

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where a six-point agenda was deliberated, Express News reported.

The session notably addressed the potential implementation of Article 6 against former President Arif Alvi, PTI founder Imran Khan, and former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri, amid considerations of a ban on PTI.

Sources close to the matter revealed that the cabinet chose to defer the decision on both the PTI ban and the invoking of Article 6.

They said that the deferment is pending further consultations with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and other allied factions, after which the matter will be revisited in another cabinet session.

Other items on the agenda included visa-free entry for foreign investors, matters related to special courts under the SECP Act, an MoU with Denmark, the appointment of the chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board, and an increase in the number of Privatization Commission members.

Recently, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the federal government has decided to ban PTI. He stated that cases under Article 6 would be pursued against Arif Alvi, Imran Khan, and Qasim Suri, with the approval of the federal cabinet, and references would be sent to the Supreme Court.

Their passports and identity cards would be blocked, a parliamentary resolution would be passed, and actions would be completed within the constitutional and legal framework.

Read: Bilawal to chair party huddle on PTI ban move

Previously, just days after the Supreme Court resurrected PTI, the PML-N-led ruling coalition decided on July 15 that a reference would be sent to the top court seeking a ban on PTI, adding that the government will also initiate Article 6 (high treason) proceedings against ex-PM Imran Khan, ex-President Dr Arif Alvi and ex-deputy speaker Qasim Suri for dissolving the National Assembly back in April 2022.

In a press conference, Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar announced that the ruling alliance has also decided to challenge the recent decision of the Supreme Court through which it declared that the PTI is entitled to have reserved seats in the assembly, saying the government would file a review petition against the ruling.

Additionally, the information minister announced that the ruling parties have decided to take strict legal action against individuals campaigning from abroad, as well as lobbyists involved in conspiracies targeting Pakistan.

Moreover, the government’s spokesperson said that the federal government will also swing in action against all those who were involved in pushing the country on the brink of default by allegedly sabotaging an IMF deal, further promising legal action for using cipher – a diplomatic cable – for personal and political interests by the then PTI leadership.