The Punjab cabinet on Friday approved legal action against incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and other party leaders for “hateful rhetoric against state institutions.
The decision was made during a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, according to an official statement.
At a subsequent press conference, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari cited an inquiry report from the home department, accusing PTI members of “spreading mischief inside and outside Adiala jail.”
The provincial minister alleged that the PTI, founded by Imran Khan, was engaging in “organized propaganda against state institutions” and announced that a complaint would be filed based on the home ministry’s report.
“The agenda of this party is to incite hatred against institutions,” Bokhari said.
Earlier, DG ISPR Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif stated that any dialogue with the PTI would only be possible if the party publicly and sincerely apologizes to the nation.
Commenting on potential discussions, Maj Gen Chaudhry asserted, “No talks will be held with any political leader or group that attacks its own army and engages in propaganda against them.”
“There can be no dialogue with an anarchist group,” he added, emphasizing that the only way forward for such groups is to apologize, abandon hateful politics, and adopt a constructive approach.
“Talks are for political parties, not institutions,” the army spokesperson said.
Responding to a question, DG ISPR noted that the PTI only received 31 percent of the vote in the February 8 elections and dismissed the notion that those voters supported the May 9 attacks.
In other decisions, the Punjab cabinet approved the appointment of Ahmed Ali Khan as CEO of the Punjab Skills Development Fund, and nominated Tahir Masood and Sheikh Muhammad Mahmood as technical experts for the Board of Ravi Urban Development Authority.
The meeting also endorsed a settlement with the Pakistani and Iranian company M/s MMIIC and established a 12-member cabinet standing committee for Universal Health Insurance.
Additionally, the Punjab Environment Climate Change Endowment Fund Company was approved under the Companies Act 2017, and financial assistance was sanctioned for the families of police officers who died during service.
