Attaullah Tarar (Federal Minister for information & broadcasting), in a press conference in Islamabad said that under article 17 of the Pakistan Constitution, federal government will move a case to ban Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI). He said that PTI hired a lobby in foreign countries to move resolution against Pakistan, Foreign funding case and 9 May case had proved that they should be banned.
What article 17 states?
According to Article 17 of the Constitution of Pakistan, every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, has the fundamental right to form or be a member of a political party, with reasonable restrictions possible in the interest of Pakistan’s sovereignty or integrity. If the federal government determines that a political party has been formed or is operating in a manner prejudicial to Pakistan’s sovereignty or integrity, it must refer the matter to the Supreme Court within 15 days. The Supreme Court’s decision on such a reference is final. This means that a political party can only be banned after the Supreme Court makes a decision following a reference from the federal government, as stipulated by the Elections Act, 2017.
