Despite the erratic leadership of Imran Khan, any thought of banning his Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over its “extremist” actions is not only doomed to fail, but also, conversely, boost its popularity. And the government might have realized it, as it dithers on proceeding with the attempt days after Information Minister Ataullah Tarar announced the ruling coalition wished to ban the PTI over incitement and anti-state propaganda.
Expectedly, the announcement drew widespread condemnation from both the opposition and the PMLN’s allies in government, as well as human rights groups. In a brief statement, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan described the proposal as an act of “political desperation,” highlighting the trouble facing the PMLN if it decides to proceed with the plan.
The PMLN’s nervousness is understandable, as it had believed that it had secured a “victory” with the arrest and convictions of Imran Khan. This was followed by the PTI losing its electoral symbol after not conducting intra-party elections. Yet, neither of these steps hampered the PTI’s electoral prospects, with independents supported by it securing 93 seats in the National Assembly to the PMLN’s 75 and PPP’s 54. This prevented any single party from forming the government and further denied the eventual coalition of PMLN and PPP the two-thirds majority required for constitutional amendments.
Despite the PTI’s electoral wins, however, Pakistan has a history of flirting with banning political parties—under both military dictatorships and civilian administrations. In fact, the last instance of banning a political party occurred under the PTI’s own government when it briefly banned the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan before eventually withdrawing its decision.
Tragically, the charisma of personality in a democratic order often devolves into democratic reversal. Within hours of Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023, PTI supporters took the streets, with the subsequent riot seeing the destruction of civil and military assets. This prompted a crackdown against the PTI that saw thousands arrested and over 100 tried in military courts. Anyone found guilty of such actions should be prosecuted in a court of law, but to achieve stability the government must abandon any thought of banning its political opponents and seek to restore normalcy. Unfortunately, the country’s internal flaws are so grave and persistent that this is easier said than done.