Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has warned that banning PTI would be a grave mistake.
Speaking to the media outside an anti-terrorism court in Lahore, Qureshi voiced concerns over reports of potential Governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), calling such a move divisive and harmful to provincial unity. He emphasized that targeting PTI would not serve the country’s political interests and urged all parties to prioritize national well-being.
Qureshi criticized the government’s history of banning political groups like Tehreek-e-Labbaik and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, questioning the efficacy of such actions. He thanked the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Mahmood Achakzai for opposing the idea of banning PTI.
Opposition to Governor’s Rule
Separately, Awami National Party (ANP) leader Senator Aimal Wali Khan also opposed Governor’s rule in K-P. Speaking at Wali Bagh alongside K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Wali Khan emphasized the need for unity in addressing the region’s crises. He invited all political parties to join an All-Parties Conference (APC) on peace, warning that terrorism had intensified, threatening both his district and the chief minister’s district.
Prime Minister Signals Possible PTI Ban
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hinted at the possibility of banning PTI, citing its recent attempts to storm Islamabad as a threat to the nation’s peace and stability. During a high-level meeting, Sharif labeled PTI as “Tehreek-e-Takhreeb” (Movement of Insurgency) and condemned its repeated disruptions, accusing the party of damaging Pakistan’s economy, image, and foreign investment.
He claimed PTI protests had caused significant economic losses, amounting to Rs190 billion daily, and accused the party of undermining progress in K-P while fostering instability. Sharif stressed the importance of holding PTI accountable, warning that failure to act would be judged harshly by history.
These developments follow a resolution passed by the Balochistan Assembly calling for a ban on PTI due to its “anti-Pakistan activities.” A similar resolution was introduced in the Punjab Assembly.
