ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said the military establishment decided to remain out of politics, and as such, should not be involved in political matters, making it clear that a decision to ban PTI would be made by the institutions when they deemed it necessary.
Ahsan Iqbal mentioned that there is no issue if the military and PTI engaged in dialogue. The military made it clear that it wished to stay out of politics, so it should not be drawn into political conflicts.
He expressed these words during an interview to a U.S. broadcasting agency on Thursday.
The Federal Minister questioned the founder of PTI, asking what specific negotiations are being sought with the military. He accused the PTI founder of inviting military intervention in politics, acknowledging that the protest at GHQ was part of their plan.
The minister criticized the founder’s political approach as contradictory, saying that while advocating for civilian supremacy, PTI simultaneously sought the military intervention. He claimed that the PTI founder wanted the establishment to support them to reach the Prime Minister’s House.
Iqbal further commented that if the events of May 9 had occurred in the U.S., there would have been legal action against PTI.
He cited that individuals involved in the attack on the U.S. Congress received 14-year sentences. Iqbal described PTI’s actions as a direct assault on the interests of the Pakistani state, saying that such a political approach could not be permitted in any democracy. He suggested that PTI should change its behavior and apologize to the nation and institutions to be reintegrated into the national mainstream, emphasizing that there is no room for PTI’s current approach in Pakistan.
The Federal Minister also pointed out that banning a political party is not solely at the government’s discretion and requires validation from higher courts. He mentioned that the decision to ban PTI would come after an international campaign. Iqbal stressed that any action against PTI would be in accordance with the constitution and laws, and the institutions would decide on the ban when appropriate.
Iqbal added that if the judiciary contributed to instability, it would not be in the service of Pakistan, which cannot afford additional tensions at this time.
He also said that Pakistan successfully addressed China’s security concerns. Beijing, he said, assured that cooperation between Pakistan and China would not be disrupted by recent attacks.
Iqbal emphasized Pakistan’s responsibility to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals.
“Balancing relations with both the U.S. and China would not be difficult, as Pakistan cannot afford to overlook either country,” he added.
