PTI's continued defiance of the Pakistani government

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Against the backdrop of Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankars' visit to Pakistan for the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of Government Council on October 15-16, a member of the Pakistan Tehreek -e-Insaf (PTI) , Muhammad Ali Saifi said that the Indian EAM should also participate in the PTI protest against the Pakistani government. The Pakistan Muslim League (N)-led government criticized the remarks, accusing them of trying to sabotage Pakistan's bid to host the meeting and deemed them anti-Pakistan. Since coming to power in February 2024, the PML-N-led coalition government has been in difficulty on all fronts, and the PTI is exploiting the government's inability to manage the multiple crises facing the country to strengthen its own position. .

The Pakistan Muslim League (N)-led government criticized the remarks, accusing them of trying to sabotage Pakistan's bid to host the meeting and deemed them anti-Pakistan.

The PTI has resorted to various strategies to garner public support against the current government. Since the arrest of Imran Khan after being convicted in several cases last year, the party has been very vocal against the army and the current government. The February 2024 elections have been harshly criticized due to allegations of rigging and manipulation. A major setback for the party just before the elections was the removal of its symbol. On December 22, 2023, just two months before Pakistan's general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) omitted the PTI's symbol, a cricket bat, on technical grounds, stating that the party had not organized elections. intra-party elections required by law. The ECP did not recognize the intra-party elections organized by the party in June 2023 on the grounds that they were not free and fair. The ECP also omitted the symbol of 13 other fringe political parties.

PTI candidates were forced to contest elections as independent candidates. However, the independents managed to win 93 seats, while the PML-N won 75 seats and the Pakistan People's Parliamentary Party (PPP) came third with 54. As none of the parties could cross the threshold 133 to obtain majority, PML-N and PPP along with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) formed a coalition government .

Although it formed a government and removed the PTI from power, the PML-N maintains its rivalry with the party.

Although it formed a government and removed the PTI from power, the PML-N maintains its rivalry with the party. Imran Khan's continued popularity and the looming prospect of a PTI resurgence continue to worry the ruling party.

PML-N continues to fight against PTI

In February, when the PTI called for protests against vote manipulation in elections, users reported problems using social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Citing national security concerns, the Pakistani government blocked X. In April 2024, the Ministry of Interior mentioned the closure of government of Pakistan. It is worth noting that PTI leaders and Imran Khan's supporters made extensive use of X, after the country's mainstream media started censoring news related to his party. Activists challenging the ban said it was aimed at suppressing growing dissent after the Feb. 8 general election, which used illegal methods to rig votes. It is considered the most openly rigged election in Pakistan's recent history, despite the attention on global and social media.

In April 2024, the Ministry of Interior discussed the closure of X and cited this social media platform's failure to comply with legal guidelines given by the government of Pakistan.

In the second week of July 2024, the PTI scored a major legal victory as the Supreme Court declared it eligible for a share of reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies. He also claimed that not having an election symbol does not affect his legal rights to run candidates. The PTI saw this as a major victory, but just hours after the court verdict, the PML-N government's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the government's plan to ban the party, citing its role in last year's violent protests as well as accusations of leaking classified information. The minister also added that the government is considering charging Imran Khan and two senior PTI leaders, Arif Alvi, the former president of Pakistan, and Qasim Suri, the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, with treason. Apart from this, the government also planned to file a review petition against the court's decision allowing the PTI to get reserved assembly seats for women and members of religious minorities.

Recent government measures against PTI

To restrict the freedom to demonstrate, the government presented the Peaceful Assemblies and Public Order Bill to the Upper House on September 2. Within a week the bill was transformed into law, hastily completing all the required formalities. The law provides for a punishment of up to three years or/and a fine to members of an unlawful assembly in Islamabad. The law requires the event coordinator to obtain permission from the district magistrate at least seven days before the event and also authorizes the government to designate a specific area of ​​Islamabad as a red zone or high security zone to prohibit all the types of gatherings in this area. .

Opposition party members in both houses rejected the public order bill, saying it was a PTI-specific law that was introduced just before the party's planned power rally. PTI in Islamabad on September 8. However, the government allowed it under strict conditions. The jalsa was organized to mark the first anniversary of Imran Khan's arrest, and even though the PTI does not officially exist, the jalsa saw a massive presence of supporters and high-ranking PTI leaders. During the rally, reports of a police crackdown were noted and the situation worsened significantly with PTI acting president Gohar Khan and lawmakers Sher Afzal Khan Marwat and Shoaib Shaheen being promptly arrested .

How does the PTI react?

The PTI strongly condemns the government crackdown and arrests of its leaders after the Islamabad jalsa. The party accused the government of imposing undeclared martial law through a draconian public order law, arresting at least 13 national leaders of the party, with many others in hiding. He sees this as the tyranny of a false majority. Recently, the party vowed to continue its protest against the government after the mysterious disappearance of protest leader Ali Amin Gandapur, who is the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was reported missing on the evening of October 5.

The PTI strongly condemns the government crackdown and arrests of its leaders after the Islamabad jalsa.

Earlier in July 2024, the party had also expressed its strong opposition to the government's ban on X in Pakistan. The decision, taken under the pretext of national security, sparked strong reactions from the party. The PTI called the ban unconstitutional and a desperate measure by the government, attempting to stifle political opposition and manipulate the narrative of the current political turmoil.

Why is the PTI still a threat to the Pakistani government?

Despite significant challenges, the PTI continues to pose a significant threat to the ruling coalition government. Several factors contribute to the PTI's continuing influence on Pakistani politics.

Firstly, the PTI, under the leadership of Imran Khan, enjoys the popular support of the Pakistani masses. Even after Imran Khan's withdrawal from the government, the PTI emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly in the subsequent elections and won the majority of seats despite losing its party symbol. Their popularity is very high, especially in Punjab, the largest province, where the PTI has historically performed well against the PML-N. This popularity is not good for the weak coalition government. This weakness was particularly visible when the PML-N announced its intention to ban the PTI. The PPP, which has allied itself with the ruling government, has distanced itself from the possible ban on the PTI, insisting that its top leaders were not consulted on the matter.

Even after Imran Khan's withdrawal from the government, the PTI emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly in the subsequent elections and won the majority of seats despite losing its party symbol.

Second, recent Supreme Court rulings that restored the PTI's eligibility for reserved parliamentary seats have improved the party's position. The Supreme Court verdict allowed the PTI to regain its status as a major political force, further weakening the government's current efforts to marginalize its presence.

Third, the current government is tackling many serious problems in Pakistan. Economic challenges, allegations of corruption and political problems in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have fueled public discontent. The government is working to meet the conditions necessary to sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. The government's first budget is heavy on taxes and increased taxes on salaried workers. Annual inflation reached a record high of around 38 percent in May 2023, while the current government was still in power as a caretaker government, and in June 2024, inflation was 23 percent. The PTI capitalizes on this discontent by positioning itself as a better alternative, capable of solving these problems, by presenting itself as a more stable government option enjoying popular support.

In conclusion, the PTI remains a formidable threat to the current coalition government of Pakistan due to its strong popular support, strategic legal victories and vulnerabilities of the ruling coalition. The numerous direct repressive measures taken by the government prove that the coalition still fears a resurgence of the PTI.

Abhishek Kumar is a research intern at the Observer Research Foundation

Shivam Shekhawat is a junior researcher at the Observer Research Foundation

The opinions expressed above are those of the author(s). ORF research and analysis now available on Telegram! Click here to access our content blogs, long forms and interviews.

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