Pakistan government seeks to ban Imran Khan's party

Decision over comes days after a series of court rulings favourable to former prime minister's PTI party

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf display portraits of Imran Khan at a protest in Karachi last month to demand his release from prison. EPA

Pakistan's government is seeking to ban the political party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, the country's Information Minister said on Monday, only days after several court decisions in his favour.

Speaking in Islamabad, Attaullah Tarar said the federal government's case to prohibit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would be taken to the Supreme Court.

The minister said the latest decision was based on a number of reasons, including the charge that PTI received foreign funds from sources deemed illegal in Pakistan, in addition to rioting by the party's leadership and supporters targeting military installations.

"We believe that there is credible evidence that PTI should be banned," Mr Tarar said.

A PTI spokesman told AFP the party "will not tolerate" the government's effort to proscribe it.

"PTI has become stronger than before. We will face it," Raoof Hasan said

Mr Khan has been in jail since August over a series of court cases he says were orchestrated to bar him from returning to power in elections held in February.

On Saturday, the former leader and his third wife were acquitted of charges that they had married unlawfully but he remains in prison after being convicted in other cases.

PTI members were forced to run as independents in the election on February 8 but candidates loyal to the party still secured more seats than any of their rivals. However, it was kept from power by an alliance of parties believed to be close to the military, which holds major influence over the country's politics.

In a landmark ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court ruled the party was eligible for 20 extra reserved seats in Parliament, pressuring the country's weak coalition government. It remains to be seen what effect the potential ban on the party would have on the court's decision to assign additional seats.

Mr Tarar said the government would legally review the reserved seats issue.

Mr Khan served as prime minister from 2018 until 2022, when he was ousted in a no-confidence vote after falling out with the military. He has since waged a campaign of defiance against the generals, accusing them of being behind an assassination attempt that left him injured.

A UN panel of experts this month found Mr Khan's detention "had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office".