Pakistan - July 2024

On 14 July, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the government is seeking to ban former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the grounds of inciting violent protests last year and leaking classified information. The announcement comes days after a court overturned several of Khan’s previous convictions, as well as a Supreme Court decision declaring PTI eligible for reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies. In July, it was further revealed that a United Nations panel declared that Khan’s detention was arbitrary and in violation of international law, calling for his immediate release. The panel noted that Khan’s legal woes were part of a larger campaign of repression against him and his PTI party. Political analysts and rights bodies note that the decision to ban PTI appears politically motivated and an act of “political desperation.” It remains to be seen if and how the government will move forward with the ban.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Express Tribune, Brookings, The Express Tribune, OHCHR