Within days of Information Minister Ataullah Tarar announcing the government’s intent to impose a ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), authorities seemingly reversed their decision, as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar clarified that no “definitive” decision had been made.
A welcome development—history shows the folly of any attempt to ban a political party—it was more a result of the government’s failure to gain support from the country’s political forces, rather than any clear intent to acknowledge the PTI as a reality of Pakistan, as earlier professed in an order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The process by which the government announced its initial decision stems from the apex court’s decision, a month before polls, to validate an Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) order revoking the PTI’s electoral symbol on failure to conduct timely intra-party polls. Pundits who had claimed the ruling would significantly dent the PTI’s standing in the polls were proven wrong as independent candidates backed by the party secured a majority in Parliament, winning 93 seats in the National Assembly to 75 of the PMLN and 54 of the PPP. However, as the PTI-backed candidates contested as independents, and subsequently joined the Sunni Ittehad Council, they were denied any share in the reserved, granting the PMLN-led coalition a two-thirds majority in Parliament. A majority verdict of the Supreme Court rejected this, allowing the independents time to shift their allegiances once more and ‘rejoin’ the PTI, allowing them to avail the reserved seats—and ending the two-thirds majority of the ruling coalition.
The ruling, however, has yet to be fully implemented, with the ECP approaching the apex court to seek clarifications on some points, while both the PPP and PMLN have filed review petitions, arguing the short order is not in accordance with the Constitution. The problem persists, as the Supreme Court has yet to issue its detailed verdict or hear the pleas against its ruling. Parliament, meanwhile, has passed legislation declaring that no individual is permitted to change their party allegiance a second time after declaring it immediately after their notification as lawmakers. The crisis is not yet abated, but the government’s decision to step down from the ultimate step of banning any party suggests saner heads are prevailing and there is at least an attempt to engage with the PTI through the political sphere.