Former Pak PM Imran Khan’s sharp retort on government decision to ban his party, claims action ‘out of desperation’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf reacts to government ban, calling it desperate and panicky move, citing political cases and UN resolution.

Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on July 15 reacted sharply to the government's decision to ban the party, saying the move came “out of desperation” and is a “sign of panic" within the federal administration.

The Pakistan government announced that it would ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and slap cases against him and two of his senior party colleagues for treason.

Mr. Khan, 71, faces over 200 cases, has been convicted in a few of them, and is currently lodged at the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

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“The federal government has decided to ban PTI as a political party. Reasons cited by the information minister are the cipher case and the US Congressional Resolution on electoral rigging and politically motivated cases with no merit in sight. The PML-N is shooting its own foot for these reasons,” the PTI said in a statement.

The PML-N — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz — is run by Khan’s arch rival Nawaz Sharif and is a major coalition partner in the ruling dispensation headed by his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif.

“The PML-N is shooting its own foot for these reasons because Khan has been acquitted in a cipher case and the US congressional resolution points out the ordeal a political party has to face over the period of a few months,” the PTI statement added.