ISLAMABAD, May 24, 2023: Senator Ali Zafar said on Wednesday If the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was banned, the Supreme Court (SC) would annul it within a day.
Speaking to the media outside the SC, he said vandalism was an individual act and it did not provide basis to ban a political party. “an attempt had been made to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the past, adding that the SC ruled that a ban could not be imposed on a political party,” he added.
He went on to say that the law was not being followed, adding that there was no functional assembly in two provinces. “The constitution has been derailed,” he added.
PTI leaders were arrested soon after courts ordered their release, he said, adding that the PTI would approach the SC against this.
Mr Zafar said the constitution could not be implemented if there were no assemblies. “Courts will lose trust if their orders are not implemented,” he added.
Courts annulled thousands of laws since Pakistan came into being, he said, adding that it should not be taken as a rift between courts and parliament.
Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the PDM government was considering a ban on the PTI for May 9 vandalism.
Speaking to media persons, Mr Asif said a decision had not been taken yet but the government was reviewing the situation. He hinted that the ban on the PTI would be discussed in parliament.