Islamabad: Pakistan’s ruling coalition is to initiate legal proceedings against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) damning report on the prohibited funding case – including preparing for the possibility of launching an “operation clean sweep” against the party, Express Tribune reported on Thursday.
The decision to take legal action against the PTI was taken in a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House in Islamabad on Wednesday, which was attended by the representatives of other allied parties where various political matters and the current scenario in the country were also discussed.
Sources privy to the development said that the meeting has decided to get approval for putting Imran Khan and other party leaders’ names on the Exit Control List (ECL). The matter will be presented during Thursday’s cabinet meeting.
The allied parties decided that no party including the PTI would be allowed to protest in Islamabad’s Red Zone. The sources added that the government is mulling launching an “operation clean sweep” against the PTI’s provincial and central leadership in the coming days. As per the details, multiple teams would take part in the operation simultaneously throughout Pakistan.
Sources also revealed that after the ECP’s verdict, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other departments concerned can take action against Imran and other party leaders. However, the advice of legal experts would be sought in this regard before taking any step.
The meeting also decided in principle to take legal action for the disqualification of the PTI chairman. The sources further revealed that the PTI leaders including Asad Qaiser, Qasim Suri, Imran Ismail, Shah Farman, Mian Mahmood, and other leaders will be arrested and legal action would be taken against them.
It was decided that PTI MNA Najeeb Haroon, MPA Samar Ali Khan, and former MPA Seema Zia would also face action by the authorities. Other PTI members on the list include Tahir Iqbal, Mohammad Noman Afzal, Mohammad Arshad, and Mohammad Rafique.
