The Punjab cabinet on Tuesday approved undertaking legal action against incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and other party leaders for building a “hateful narrative against the state institutions”.

A statement from the Punjab government said the decision was taken in a provincial cabinet meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Elaborating on the development during a press conference in Lahore, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said the home department had submitted an inquiry report which allegedly revealed that PTI members were “spreading mischief inside and outside the [Adiala] jail”.

She alleged that the PTI spread propaganda that Imran was not allowed to meet anyone, adding that the party was “spreading hate as part of organised propaganda”.

Bokhari said it was decided to file a complaint according to the report submitted by the home ministry.

“To spread incitement in the country, to destabilise the country, to spread hatred against the institutions in the country, that is the total agenda of this party,” she said, adding that the PTI was not thinking about the country’s benefit or favour.

Last week, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly had lashed out at the country’s military establishment over its alleged political role. He had indirectly called for the trial of the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) under Article 6 over his “political press conference”.

His comments came after ISPR Director General Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif had said that any dialogue with the PTI could happen only if it “earnestly apologises publicly in front of the nation”.

The PTI had termed the ISPR presser as “full of contradictions”.