Former Pakistan Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were surprised when the government announced plans to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Speaking on ARY News’ “The Reporter” programme, Chaudhry said the Shehbaz Sharif government needs to justify the ban on the PTI party.
“Even the PML-N leaders were surprised by the announcement of the ban on the PTI,” said a former federal minister.
Replying to a question on the political situation in the country, he said the PML-N’s aim was to eliminate the PTI and its founder.
He also criticised the PTI’s tactics.
“My criticism is not on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s leadership but on its strategy. PTI is a big party but the strategy being adopted is not right,” he added while speaking to ARY News.
Chaudhry said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was relying only on lawyers and lacked a political plan, and stressed that the former ruling party should have aligned itself with the parties that opposed the February 8 elections.
On Monday, the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government decided to ban the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party for allegedly receiving illegal foreign funds, involvement in insurgency and engaging in “anti-national” activities.
The Pakistani government has also threatened to prosecute PTI founder Khan, 71, and former president Arif Alvi, 74, on treason charges.
(With inputs from ANI)
