SC Will Nullify Ban On PTI Within A Day: Barrister Ali Zafar

• Barrister Ali Zafar said political parties cannot be banned.
• He said the Supreme Court will revoke the ban within a day.
• Defence Minsiter Khawaja Asif saig government is considering bannning PTI.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Barrister Ali Zafar said the Supreme Court could nullify the government's decision of banning the party within a single day.

Addressing reporters outside the apex court, the senior lawyer dismissed the possibility of banning the political party, saying that vandalism is an 'individual act' and parties cannot be banned on such basis.

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Defence Minsiter Khawaja Asif saig government is considering bannning PTI.

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Barrister Ali Zafar said political parties cannot be banned.

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He said the Supreme Court will revoke the ban within a day.

The lawyer referred to a past case of banning Jamat-e-Islami several decades ago.  He said the Supreme Court rulings have set a precedent that the government cannot ban any political party.

He said the Supreme Court ruled that a ban cannot be imposed as it was a basic right to form a political party. The PTI senator said there are different laws dealing with a party that resorts to violence.

He said that an action can be taken against the vandals who resorted to violence during protests but the party cannot be banned on its basis.

He said the court would nullify it in a single day of hearing in case such a step is taken. 'If PTI is banned, then I believe the Supreme Court will strike down that decision within a day,' he said.

Govt mulls ban on PTI

The remarks came after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the incumbent government is mulling a possible ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after violent riots on May 9.

He said that the matter will be referred to the Parliament for approval in the government finally decides to ban the former ruling party.

'The PTI has attacked the very basis of the state that never happened before. It can't be tolerated', Asif said. “Is there a crime that didn’t happen on May 9?' he asked.

Khawaja Asif said that the miscreants involved in the violent episode had nefarious ambitions challenged the writ of the state.

“The PTI chief has challenged the state’s writ. He has nefarious ambitions that could only be of an Indian and not a Pakistani,” the minister said.

He said evidence is surfacing that the May 9 events took place under a plan and the miscreants were facilitated. He said that the planning for terrorist acts had been going on for a year.

He said attacking military installations was the last resort for Imran Khan. He announced that May 9 will be observed to honour the martyrs.