Imran Khan's Party To Be Banned By Pakistan For Alleged Anti-State Activities

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will be banned for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities, the government said Monday.

"The government has decided that the federal government will move a case to ban the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf)," Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters in Islamabad. The case would be taken to the Supreme Court, he added.

There is clear evidence to impose restrictions on the PTI and the government would initiate proceedings against the party, said Mr Tarar.

Mr Khan, 71, had formed PTI in 1996, which came to power in 2018. Mr Khan served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, when he was ousted after falling out with the military establishment, which wields huge influence over civilian politics.

Mr Khan was banned from running in the February election due to a graft conviction.

Despite the setbacks, candidates loyal to PTI secured more seats than any other party, but were kept from power by the alliance pact.

A spokesperson for the PTI told news agency AFP that the party "will not tolerate" the government's effort to ban it.

"PTI has become stronger than before. We will face it," Raoof Hasan said.

In a landmark ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court granted the PTI more parliamentary seats, after party members were forced to run as independents in the February 8 election.

Mr Khan's conviction for illegal marriage -- which carried a seven-year sentence -- was then overturned by an Islamabad court on Saturday but he remains jailed over other cases.

A UN panel of experts found this month that Mr Khan's detention "had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office".

(With agency inputs)