Pakistan to consult with legal team to declare Imran Khan’s party outfit ‘outlawed’

Leaders of the ruling alliance have slammed Khan who traveled from Lahore to Islamabad on Saturday to mark his attendance at a district court here amid chaos and mayhem as his supporters clashed with police.

While Khan was in Islamabad, more than 10,000 armed Punjabi police launched a major operation at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore and arrested dozens of his supporters and claimed to have seized weapons and Molotov cocktails.

Interior Minister Sanuallah told a press conference on Saturday that the government would consult with his legal team to assess whether a process could be initiated to declare Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf group an outlaw, the Dawn newspaper reported. .

“Terrorists were hiding in Zaman Park. Weapons, petrol bombs, etc. were recovered from Imran Khan’s residence, which is sufficient evidence to file a complaint against the PTI for being a militant organization,” Sanaullah said.

Regarding the government’s plan to initiate the process of banning Khan’s party, the minister said, “It is mainly a judicial process to declare a party banned. However, we will consult with our legal team on the matter. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seemed to agree with the assertion of his niece, PMN-L First Vice President Maryam Nawaz, that Khan’s party is a “militant organization”.

“If anyone had any doubts, the antics of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf President Imran Niazi in recent days have laid bare his fascist and militant tendencies,” he said in a tweet.

Maryam said Khan was afraid of going to jail.

“I wonder if he calls himself a politician. Politicians are not afraid to go to jail and be held accountable. Only thieves and terrorists do that. Fear of arrest shows that prosecution of him (Imran) are real,” she said and taunted the court by pointing out Khan’s presence in the Toshakhana case without her appearing before him.

“He is a coward because he left the court without marking his presence”.

Many members of the PML-N cabinet held pressers to justify police action against Khan and rebuked his party’s “hooliganism” at the Islamabad court complex, according to the newspaper.

Justice Minister Azam Nazir Tarar told reporters that in his 30-year professional career as a lawyer, he had never seen a court ask for a signature (from a suspect) in a vehicle to mark his presence, as in the case of Imran Khan.

“Don’t make fun of your justice system,” Tarar said.

Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also attacked the judiciary for granting a “bail package” to Khan.

“These terrorists who attacked the police, the judiciary and the state got fixed bail. This sends the message that he (Khan) is above the Constitution and the law,” she said. declared.

Aurangzeb said Khan’s supporters did not just throw Molotov cocktails at police and rangers, but also did so on court orders. All state institutions are responsible for maintaining government authority, she said.

“Today, once again, the law and the sanctity of the court have been violated. He tries to influence the court by bringing people there. The court must take this into account, otherwise other political parties will follow,” said Minister of Climate Change and leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Sherry Rehman.

Khan arrived at the Islamabad Judicial Complex from Lahore on Tuesday to appear before District and Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal’s court to witness proceedings relating to a complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan for allegedly concealed details of gifts in his asset declarations.

Khan returned to Lahore after waiting for hours at the entrance to the courthouse as police were unable to clear the path occupied by his supporters.

Finally, the judge agreed to let the former prime minister mark his presence on a document from his vehicle because the hearing in the Toshakhana case was adjourned until March 30.