Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and MPA Rana Muhammad Fayyaz submitted a resolution to the Punjab Assembly Secretariat on Friday, seeking a ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The resolution urges strict action against PTI, describing it as a “disruptive group” pretending to be a political party. It demands accountability for the events of November 24, 2024, accusing PTI of destabilizing the country and promoting an anarchist agenda.
This submission follows increasing calls to restrict PTI’s activities, especially after recent violent protests in Islamabad and other cities. A similar resolution was passed in the Balochistan Assembly a day earlier, also led by the PML-N. The Balochistan resolution blamed PTI for harming institutions like the judiciary, media, and economy, urging federal authorities to ban the party.
The Punjab resolution, supported by provincial ministers, also criticized PTI for allegedly planning violent demonstrations, including attacks on public and military properties during the May 9, 2023, protests. It accused the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government of misusing state resources to challenge federal authority, calling it a “non-political agenda.”
In Balochistan, the opposition walked out in protest, criticizing the treatment of PTI.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned PTI’s actions. During a high-level law-and-order meeting on Thursday, he instructed the formation of professional anti-riot forces to prevent future unrest. He accused PTI of causing economic losses, saying, “Instead of following the legal route, PTI repeatedly created chaos by marching on Islamabad.”
The Prime Minister emphasized holding perpetrators accountable and devising measures to prevent similar incidents.
PTI’s recent “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad caused widespread disruption before it was abruptly called off after a government crackdown. Authorities arrested 1,151 protesters, including 64 Afghan nationals, and claimed to have seized weapons, ball bearings, and spiked clubs. PTI leader Salman Akram Raja alleged that 20 people died during the protests, but officials denied the claim.
