Pakistan opposition parties to hold two-day conference to formalize anti-govt alliance

Pakistan's opposition parties announced on Monday they will hold a two-day national conference (APC) to formalize a grand opposition alliance against the government, escalating political tensions in the nuclear-armed nation that has faced months of instability following disputed elections last year.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and the opposition coalition Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aien-Pakistan (movement for protection of Pakistan's Constitution) will convene the conference on February 26-27 in Islamabad under the banner "supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law."

TTAP head Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Secretary General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have sent invitations and a program schedule to opposition party leaders, according to party officials. The PTI leadership has invited all opposition political parties inside and outside the parliament to participate.

PTI leader and spokesperson for TTAP, Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, said the conference will begin at 10 a.m. on February 26 at a hotel in Islamabad. Leaders from all sectors of society, including lawyers, journalists, intellectuals, and politicians, have been invited to participate.

A delegation led by Achakzai recently met with Sindh Progressive Party chief Dr. Qadir Magsi and Sindh National Movement (Quomi Tehreek) chief Ayaz Latif Palijo during a visit to Sindh. Both leaders were formally invited to join the opposition movement.

"The overall political and economic situation of the country will be reviewed, with particular focus on the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," said PTI leader Asad Qaiser, adding that the country faces multiple crises requiring urgent attention. He said that the nation is currently facing various crises on which an agenda will be formulated in the national conference.

Yousafzai stated that invitations have been extended to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Grand Democratic Alliance, Awam Pakistan headed by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Sunni Ittehad Council, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, and Balochistan National Party (Mengal).

Government-allied parties — including the Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party, Muttahida Qoumi Movement, and National Party — have been excluded from the conference.

Announcements regarding the Grand Opposition Alliance and future joint strategy will be made at the conclusion of the two-day national conference, Yousafzai added.

Opposition alliance shaping up

The upcoming meeting follows an earlier gathering of opposition parties where they agreed to establish a steering committee to draft a national agenda, enhance mutual relations in the future, and address the challenges facing the country.

The committee, headed by Abbasi, includes Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Sajid Tareen, Nasir Shirazi, Talmand Khan, and Akhunzada Hussain.

The opposition parties agreed to work together, reject the February 8 election results, and demand fresh polls under a 'neutral' Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Screengrab

In their previous meeting, opposition leaders reiterated demands for immediate free and fair elections, resignation of the current Election Commission, formation of an independent electoral body, an end to human rights violations, and the release of all political prisoners.