PTI has attacked the very basis of the state, that never happened before: Khawaja Asif
ISLAMABAD, May 24 (SABAH): As the country’s political crisis deepens, the incumbent government is mulling a possible ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Wednesday, in light of the May 9 protests against party chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the £190 million settlement case.
He, however, said that the matter will be referred to the Parliament for approval if the government finally decides to ban the former ruling party.
“The PTI has attacked the very basis of the state, that never happened before. It can’t be tolerated”, Khawaja Asif said while addressing a presser in Islamabad on Wednesday. “Is there a crime that didn’t happen on May 9?” he asked.
Khawaja Asif said that the miscreants involved in the violent episode had nefarious motives. “The PTI has challenged the state’s writ. He has nefarious ambitions that could only be of an Indian and not a Pakistani,” the minister said. He said whatever Imran Khan did was “celebrated in India”.
Referring to the events that unfolded ahead of the vote of no confidence against Imran Khan in April last year, Khawaja Asif said: “All the steps taken by Imran Khan after April 9 have cost him. We did not harm him. He is suffering due to his own actions.”
“All the evidence is surfacing that the May 9 events took place under a plan, he said, adding that the miscreants had been facilitated.
He said that the planning for terrorist acts had been going on for a year. The suspects who had been arrested in relation with the incidents of violence revealed that the attacks were pre-planned.
“Attacking military installations was Imran Khan’s last resort. The events of May 9, challenged the writ of the state,” Asif said. The minister went on to say that PTI had challenged the state.
The minister then announced that May 9 will be observed to honour the martyrs as the entire world respects their martyrs.
Khawaja Asif said that the army’s reservations regarding the violence in the country on May 9 were “valid”. He said that dealing with the current situation had resulted in a “new situation”. The coalition government will take every such step to prevent others from targeting the armed forces in the future, he said.
The minister said that May 25 will be celebrated and tribute would be paid to the country’s martyrs. He said that honouring martyrs was the norm in the world over. He further said, “Till now, he (Imran) has not condemned [the violence] in clear words. He says that he did not know, he was [in custody]. He had his phone […] he repeatedly that this reaction was expected and will happen again if he is arrested.”
Recalling the events of May 9, Khawaja Asif claimed that the “violence” and vandalism of military installations were “coordinated attacks planned by Imran Khan”. “There is a lot of evidence and their people are telling themselves that they were briefed about this beforehand,” he said. “I feel that Imran Khan’s struggle of a year … all his plans failed and this was his last resort against the country’s army.”
He claimed that Imran Khan had started seeing the army as his “adversary” and called out the PTI chairman for his “hypocrisy”.
“His entire politics was done in the lap of the army and today he has suddenly decided to stand against it … and whatever I am saying is being said by all the people leaving PTI,” Khawaja Asif said.
Responding to a question about the grounds for banning PTI, the minister asked, “Is there any crime that was not committed on May 9?”
“The ISI office was attacked, they tried to enter the Cantonment in Sialkot but that attack was repulsed … they also set fire to the Lahore Corps Commander’s house. The PTI challenges the foundation of the state by attacking defence installations.”
Khawaja Asif went on to say that there was clarity amongst everyone that such actions “could only be done by India and not someone who is a Pakistani”, adding that the neighbouring country rejoiced at the events of May 9.
The minister further stated that the army’s reservations regarding the violence in the country on May 9 were “valid”.
He said that dealing with the current situation had resulted in a “new situation”. The coalition government will take every such step to prevent others from targeting the armed forces in the future, he vowed.
The minister said that May 25 will be celebrated and tribute would be paid to the country’s martyrs, clarifying that honouring martyrs was the norm in the world over.
“Till now, he (Imran Khan) has not condemned [the violence] in clear words. He says that he did not know, he was [in custody]. He had his phone […] he repeatedly that this reaction was expected and will happen again if he is arrested,” Khawaja Asif added.
When asked about whether there is any pressure on the government to send Imran Khan in exile, the Defence Minister said it is our internal issue and there is no pressure from any quarter.
Meanwhile, PTI lawyer Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar has rubbished the possibility of a ban on the party, saying that the political parties cannot be banned.
The statement came in response to a question during media talk outside Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday. The lawyer referred to a past case of banning Jamat-e-Islami (JI). “An attempt had been made to ban Jamat-e-Islami a long time ago but the Supreme Court ruled that a ban cannot be imposed as it was a basic right of everyone to create a political party,” Zafar said.
He said that as far as the riots were concerned, it was an individual act if anyone engages in vandalism. He said that an action can be taken against the vandals but the party cannot be banned on its basis.
Zafar further stated that there were different laws for dealing with any entity spreading chaos and terror.
“The same court (SC) would nullify it in a single day of hearing in case such a step is taken,” he said while referring to the possible restriction on PTI.