Former federal minister of Pakistan Fawad Chaudhry said that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were surprised when the government announced its plan to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Speaking on the “The Reporter” broadcast on ARY News, Chaudhry said that the Shehbaz Sharif government would need to justify the ban on the PTI party.
“Even PML-N leaders were surprised by the announcement of banning the PTI,” the ex-federal minister said. Pakistan’s politics cannot move forward without the PTI founder, he added.
He also criticised the PTI’s strategy.
“My criticism is not on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership, but on strategy. PTI is a big party but the strategy adopted is not right,” he added, as per ARY News.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was merely relying on lawyers and lacked a political plan, said Chaudhry. He also stressed that the former ruling party should have allied with parties who opposed the February 8 polls.
On Monday, the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government decided to ban the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party on charges of illegally receiving foreign funds, involvement in riots, and alleged involvement in “anti-state” activities.
The Government of Pakistan has also threatened to slap treason charges on the PTI founder Khan (71) and ex-president Arif Alvi (74).