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Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Opposition alliance chief puts his full weight behind anti-govt protest plan
ISLAMABAD: Amid a deepening political crisis, an opposition alliance led by Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday announced plans for a pivotal two-day All Parties Conference (APC) on July 31 and August 1. The gathering aims to bring together political leaders, civil society members, and institutional representatives to address the country's mounting constitutional and governance challenges. Speaking at a press conference alongside senior leaders of opposition parties particularly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), TTAP chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai described the moot as more than symbolic. 'From Gilgit-Baltistan to Gwadar, we will mobilise – street by street, door to door – but without violence,' he said, emphasising the alliance's commitment to a constitutional and peaceful struggle for reform. Achakzai, a longtime advocate for democratic transparency, criticised the ruling coalition's use of force against political opponents. He accused the government of suppressing dissent through intimidation and incarceration, warning that the current climate reflected coercion rather than democracy. A central demand of the alliance is the establishment of an independent election commission to restore genuine electoral representation. 'We demand that Pakistan be governed by the ballot, not by force,' Achakzai asserted. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, citing directives from jailed party founding chairman Imran Khan, echoed these concerns. 'This is not just a PTI movement; it is a voice for all those denied justice and silenced by fear,' Raja said, calling on citizens to peacefully express their grievances in a nationwide protest scheduled for August 5. Raja also alleged that state authorities violated due process in Khan's ongoing legal proceedings, claiming the former prime minister was denied access to legal counsel during a recent hearing. 'This jail trial is a clear affront to judicial transparency,' he added. Allama Nasir Abbas, leader of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), criticised recent government decisions regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on seats reserved for women, calling them emblematic of systemic manipulation. While rejecting armed resistance, Abbas warned of significant protests on August 5 and cautioned that any state efforts to disrupt peaceful demonstrations would have serious consequences. Meanwhile, PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned the government's intensified crackdown on opposition leaders, citing detentions and arrest warrants against senior figures including Raja Basharat, Ali Amin Gandapur, Dr Arif Alvi, Omar Ayub, and others. He described these moves as politically motivated attempts to stifle dissent ahead of the protests. 'The government's tactics will neither intimidate nor silence us,' Akram said. 'We stand firm for constitutional supremacy, judicial independence, and the restoration of democracy.' Highlighting the personal toll of the political strife, PTI's Babar Awan painted a grim picture of Imran Khan's incarceration. He accused authorities of subjecting Khan to solitary confinement under harsh conditions, denying him access to medical care and basic necessities – violations he likened to breaches of international prisoner rights. 'Imran Khan is not just the most popular leader in Pakistan; he is a symbol of hope,' Awan said. 'Yet he is treated worse than a prisoner of war.' Despite these challenges, Awan insisted that Khan remains 'unbroken and unwavering,' continuing to inspire millions amid political uncertainty. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Opposition calls APC on July 31-Aug 1
An alliance of opposition parties — Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain — has announced a two-day all parties conference (APC), which will be held in Islamabad on July 31 and August 1 as part of its professed struggle to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and law. "We will hold an APC and invite people from state institutions as well. We will step out for the sake of this country. Whatever issue concerns any section of society, we will support it unconditionally," said head of the alliance, Mahmood Khan Achakzai during a press conference in Islamabad. Achakzai, who is also the chief of the PkMAP, claimed that the opposition's alliance is the first political alliance not formed at the behest of any institution. It is also not created for spectacle or drama, he added. According to the politician, the alliance would continue until the country has a truly impartial polls oversight authority, supremacy of the Constitution, and a parliament that is the true source of power. Referring to former prime minister Imran Khan, he said the leader of the party that won the general elections of February 8 was jailed and a government was formed by terrorizing the people. This is an insult to governance, he added. Achakzai claimed that anti-terrorism courts (ATC) sentenced both adults and minors to ten years in prison in the May 9 cases. "We will go from street to street and alley to alley in protest against this government. We will protest from Gilgit-Baltistan to Gwadar, but we will neither use abusive language nor violence," he said. PTI's Salman Akram Raja also addressed the media, stating that the country needed to be set on the right path as it could not be run through the use of force. "Our movement for the protection of the Constitution' is constitutional and ideological. We do not intend violence. No one should use this movement as a pretext to impose more repression. Our people have been punished solely because they were affiliated with the PTI," he said.
Express Tribune
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Opposition alliance announces two-day APC in Islamabad
Listen to article An alliance of opposition parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has announced a two-day All Parties Conference (APC) to be held in Islamabad on July 31 and August 1, Express News reported. The announcement was made at a joint press conference by Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) leaders and senior opposition figures in Islamabad, including TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PTI leader Salman Akram Raja, Babar Awan, Barrister Saif, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, and others. Achakzai stated that this was the first political alliance not formed at the behest of any institution. 'This is not a theatre for political entertainment. Our alliance will continue until the establishment of a neutral Election Commission, supremacy of the Constitution, and restoration of parliamentary sovereignty,' he said. 1-آئین کی بالادستی 2-قانون کی حکمرانی 3-پارلیمنٹ کی سپریمیسی 4-آئین کی بحالی 5-ایک خود مختار غیر جانبدار الیکشن کمیشن کا قیام جس میں تمام پارٹیوں کی منظوری شامل ہو 6-شہباز شریف کی ناجائز حکومت کا خاتمہ جب تک ان تمام چیزوں پر عمل نہیں ہو جاتا تحریک جاری رہے گی محمود خان اچکزئی — Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) July 24, 2025 He criticised the formation of the current government, alleging that it was imposed through fear and manipulation. 'The party that won the general election had its leader jailed. The May 9 verdicts handed 10-year sentences even to minors. This is not justice; this is the mockery of a democratic state,' he added. Achakzai, who is also chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, vowed to campaign against the government from 'street to street and town to town,' extending the movement from Gilgit-Baltistan to Gwadar. He called for a peaceful protest movement and said the upcoming APC would also invite representatives from state institutions. 'We will support every oppressed group in the country without any conditions,' he said. Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas echoed similar concerns, questioning the legitimacy of recent political decisions, particularly those regarding reserved seats. 'If democracy existed in Pakistan, the ruling on reserved seats would not have come. Parties welcoming such seats are like those consuming carrion — it's unethical,' he said. اپ لوگ عمران خان سے جتنا مرضی اختلاف کر لیں مگر یہ بات طے ہے کہ اس کی جماعت نے اٹھ فروری کو پاکستان میں سب سے زیادہ ووٹ لیے مگر شہباز اور کمپنی نے عمران خان کا مینڈیٹ بلکہ کروڑوں عوام کا مینڈیٹ چوری کیا عوام کے ووٹوں کی توہین کی کروڑوں افراد کہ مینڈیٹ کو بوٹوں کے ذریعے روندا گیا — Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) July 24, 2025 He criticised military operations in Balochistan, saying they had failed to bring stability. 'The use of force has never succeeded. It is always the people who win in the end,' he remarked. The Senator Abbas warned that any attempt to block peaceful protests would be the responsibility of the government. A major protest under the banner of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ain (Constitution Protection Movement) is also planned for August 5. Moreover, Raja said the movement aimed to steer the country back in the right direction and restore constitutional democracy. 'This country cannot be run through coercion. Our movement is constitutional, ideological, and peaceful,' he said. 'No one should attempt to misuse our protest to justify state repression.' He alleged that PTI supporters were being punished solely for their political affiliation. 'Today, walking on the street or raising your voice has become a crime. These are rights recognised by the Constitution, the United Nations, and our religion,' he said. پاکستان میں آئین کو روندا جا رہا ہے نو مئی نو مئی کر کے اپ بچوں کو پانچ پانچ سال 10 10 سال کی سزائیں سنا رہے ہیں مگر ان کا کیا جنہوں نے پاکستان کا آئین روندا ہے جنہوں نے پاکستان کا آئین پامال کیا ہے ان پر کون سی سزا لگائیں گے — Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) July 24, 2025 The opposition alliance vowed to continue its movement through constitutional and peaceful means, asserting that any crackdown would only strengthen their resolve. The upcoming APC is expected to set the course for a coordinated political strategy across party lines.
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan
QUETTA: Five people were killed while seven others were injured in Pakistan's southwestern Killa Abdullah district on Sunday after an armed clash between two tribes, a senior official said. The clash broke out on Sunday evening between members of the ethnic Pashtun tribes of Achakzai and Kakar, lasting for several hours before tribal elders, the paramilitary Levies force and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan brokered a ceasefire between them. 'Five people have been killed and seven injured in the latest clashes that erupted between Achakzai and Kakar tribesmen in Killa Abdullah district,' Shahzaib Kakar, commissioner of Quetta Division, told Arab News on Sunday. He said members of both tribes were involved in 'an old tribal dispute,' adding that both sides agreed to a ceasefire after security forces arrived in the area. Hayat Achakzai, a local journalist based in Killa Abdullah district, said clashes broke out at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday when members of both tribes came face to face at the district's Tot Adda area. 'Both tribes were engaged in a dispute since March 2025 following a motorbike snatching,' Achakzai said. 'They were chasing each other for the last two weeks but today met with an armed clash.' Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by land mass but its most backward one by almost all social and economic indicators, has a strong tribal system with powerful chieftains. Disputes between rival tribes over honor, land and decades-old feuds are common here, often resulting in armed clashes. Ethnic Baloch militant groups have launched a low-level insurgency against the state for years in Balochistan, accusing Islamabad of exploiting the province's mineral resources and denying locals a share in it. The government denies the allegations and points to health, development and educational projects that it says have been launched to empower the people of Balochistan.
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Unity government: Achakzai offers to hold talks with PM
ISLAMABAD: Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) and chairman of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), on Thursday offered to hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the formation of a 'unity government' amid what he described as a deepening political and constitutional crisis in the country. Speaking at a presser, Achakzai said that he was prepared to engage with the prime minister solely on the issue of forming a national unity government to steer the country out of the prevalent economic and political crisis. 'Talks with this government are not possible except on the issue of forming a national government. This is not the time to hurl insults at each other as we need unity right now,' he declared. His remarks come days after the Supreme Court, in a 7-5 majority ruling, accepted review petitions that stripped Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its entitlement to seats reserved for women and minorities in both national and provincial assemblies. The decision led to the reallocation of nearly 80 seats to other parliamentary parties. Achakzai criticised the apex court's verdict, describing it as a sign of the broader erosion of democratic values in the country. 'Political parties have begged for seats instead of upholding democratic principles,' he lamented. He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the judiciary of undermining the 2024 general elections, alleging these institutions manipulated the process to disadvantage PTI. Achakzai said the party's electoral symbol was unjustly revoked and condemned the treatment of its lawmakers and supporters. 'We may have differences with Imran Khan, but the treatment meted out to his party is unjust,' he said, adding that PTI lawmakers and their families were barred from visiting detained members outside Adiala Jail. Recalling the arrests of opposition lawmakers within the premises of parliament last year, Achakzai accused the National Assembly Speaker of bias, accusing him of remaining a silent spectator while such actions took place. He criticised the Speaker's assertion that spy agencies have the authority to tap anyone's calls, describing his silence on the issue as criminal negligence. He urged the Speaker to either fulfil his responsibilities as custodian of the House or consider stepping down. On foreign policy, he denounced Israeli actions in Gaza and called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be declared a global terrorist for the killing of Palestinians. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
