PTI Ban Debate
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secretary general affirmed on Thursday that the party would continue to support the federal cabinet’s decisions, despite recent controversy over the government’s move to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and pursue Article 6 proceedings against its leaders.
Earlier this week, the federal government’s announcement to ban PTI and initiate proceedings against its founder Imran Khan, former president Dr. Arif Alvi, and ex-National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri drew widespread criticism across the political spectrum.
This decision was perceived as an effort to thwart PTI’s potential as the largest party in the National Assembly, especially following recent court rulings in favor of PTI.
Several PPP leaders, including former senators Raza Rabbani and Farhatullah Babar, publicly opposed the government’s move, denouncing it as undemocratic.
However, PPP stalwart Khursheed Shah noted that the party’s leadership was not consulted about this decision despite being part of the ruling coalition.
Later, the PPP distanced itself from the critical remarks made by its senior members, clarifying that these were personal opinions and not reflective of the party’s official stance, as the matter had not been formally discussed within the party.
Reaffirming PPP’s position, Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bokhari emphasized the party’s commitment to supporting the federal government.
He underscored that even in cases where internal differences of opinion arise, they are treated as individual viewpoints and do not undermine the party’s unified policy framework.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar intervened on Tuesday, indicating that no final decision had been made regarding the PTI ban announcement, stressing that such decisions require consensus among leadership and allies.
Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar suggested bringing the issue of invoking Article 6 against PTI leaders for debate in Parliament.
He argued that there was a valid constitutional basis for considering Article 6, particularly citing the dissolution of assemblies despite a no-confidence motion.
Tarar acknowledged that the political environment had been delicately managed to avoid escalating tensions, contrasting with previous considerations to ban PTI.
In conclusion, while PPP has acknowledged internal dissent on certain issues, it remains steadfast in its support of government decisions, maintaining its role as a key ally in the federal coalition.
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