Pakistan bans major opposition political party

The Pakistani government has said it plans to ban Pakistan Terheek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The announcement by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday came days after the Supreme Court handed a major legal victory to the PTI by declaring it eligible for a share of seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies.

“The government has made a decision to ban PTI after seeing all the available evidence. We will move a case to ban the party,” he said, citing accusations, including the incitement of violent protests last year and the leaking of classified information.

Tarar added the case would be brought to the Supreme Court.

He also said the government planned to bring treason charges against Khan and two other senior party leaders – former President of Pakistan Arif Alvi and ex-Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri – as well as file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s ruling that said the PTI must be allotted some assembly seats reserved for women and members of religious minorities.

Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and party spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the government’s decision “betrays their complete panic”.