Shehbaz-led government finds little support from allies

As the federal government announced yesterday to ban the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling government’s key ally, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), distanced itself from the unexpected and controversial decision.

PPP’s Information Secretary Shazia Atta Marri has clarified the party’s position by saying that PPP wasn’t consulted on the decision to ban PTI. Her remarks came after the Shehbaz Sharif-led government decided to ban the PTI and start high treason references against their leaders, including Imran Khan.

Elaborating on the PPP’s stance, Marri said the party would discuss the government’s decision to ban the PTI.

Meanwhile, Sindh Planning & Development and Energy Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that the PPP “is not in favour of banning any political party”.

PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman also confirmed Marri and Shah’s remarks about not being consulted and noted that the party had no idea that such a move by the Centre would be taken and that the party