What’s PTI strategy to deal with potential ban?

Amid speculations surrounding the fate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which is facing a crackdown after its workers and supporters allegedly resorted to violent protests in the wake of party chairman Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, senior party leader Pervez Khattak revealed a future strategy to deal with a potential ban on the main opposition party.

Khan’s arrest on May 9 in a graft case sparked almost countrywide violent protests which lasted for nearly three days, leaving at least 10 people dead and injuring dozens of others.

The unruly protesters damaged and ransacked public, private and military installations including the Lahore Corps Commander House, originally known as Jinnah House, and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi with the military declaring the May 9 mayhem as a “black chapter” in the history of the country.

Subsequently, the high-powered body — the National Security Committee (NSC) — comprising top military and civilian leadership, expressed resolve to show a policy of zero tolerance to acts of violence by miscreants on May 9 and endorsed the Corps Commander Conference decision to hold the trial of those involved in attacking sensitive installations and state buildings under the Army Act, Official Secrets Act and other concerned laws under the Constitution.

Khattak, the close aide of Imran Khan and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, while speaking to Geo.tv over the phone did not rule out the possibility of imposition of ban on the party.

He said the PTI would continue participating in electoral politics with a new name if a ban was imposed.

“If attempts are made to ban the party [then] the PTI will do politics with a new name,” he remarked.

Khattak also rejected rumours that he was leaving the party as other party leaders, including Aamir Mehmood Kiani, had so far jumped the ship, citing differences over policies on the establishment as the reason.

“It does not make any difference if someone leaves or joins the party,” he added.

Although many politicians including Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari from the 13-party ruling alliance have opposed a ban on the political party, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah called declaring it a banned outfit.

During the previous PTI-led government, two political parties Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar (JSQM-A) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were declared as banned organisations in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

However, the ban was lifted on the TLP the same year.