Federal Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said on Wednesday that any decision regarding a possible ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would be based strictly on legal grounds rather than political considerations. Speaking on Samaa TV’s programme Red Line with Talat Hussain, the minister described PTI as an “unprincipled party” and accused it of supporting acts that undermined national security. He said incidents like the May 9 attacks “were not carried out even by Pakistan’s enemies,” adding that PTI had used the cover of politics while behaving like “a terrorist outfit.”
Tarar said the government had already offered PTI an opportunity for dialogue and that the timing of any decision on the ban was yet to be determined. He noted that the Punjab Assembly had passed a resolution supporting the ban and stressed that no political party or leader stood above the country. He added that differences of opinion were acceptable, but PTI’s actions had crossed all limits.
The minister criticised PTI for targeting institutions, claiming that no branch of the armed forces had ever been attacked the way PTI had done. He said the party mocked soldiers serving in extreme conditions in Siachen and spoke against those who risk their lives for Pakistan. He also mocked PTI’s past protests, recalling how party workers fled from water cannons, resulting in an MNA falling into a manhole and fracturing his leg.
Tarar said the sacrifices of those who confront suicide bombers must be respected, insisting that a legal justification for banning PTI was becoming clearer. He also said PTI founder Imran Khan was in prison due to the £190 million corruption case. According to him, the party refused to acknowledge major national achievements such as polio eradication efforts and the strengthening of the Counter Terrorism Department.
He argued that PTI’s statements frequently contradicted legal principles and that the government would continue informing the public about these violations. Tarar also questioned why PTI leaders were appearing on Indian media channels to give statements, calling it “regrettable” and evidence of the party’s weakened position. He claimed that PTI supporters had failed to even approach the entrance of Adiala Jail during protests, were dispersed by water cannons, and could not gather a sizable crowd at its Peshawar rally. He said the public was increasingly rejecting PTI’s narrative against the armed forces.
