A two-day national conference on the "Supremacy of the Constitution and Rule of Law," organized by the opposition alliance Movement to Protect the Constitution of Pakistan, began in Islamabad on Wednesday. The event brought together journalists, legal experts, and intellectuals to discuss governance, democracy, and political challenges in the country.
On the first day, speakers criticized political double standards, where parties advocate for the Constitution while in opposition but shift priorities upon gaining power. They stressed that political stability is impossible without the rule of law.
Sahibzada Hamid Raza, head of the Sunni Ittehad Council, said the conference aimed to unite opposition parties on national issues, though no formal alliance had been announced. He confirmed that leaders of various parties, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), were invited and that key opposition figures would speak on the second day.
Democracy under pressure
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the conference’s convener and a former prime minister, said, "The Constitution has become a source of fear for the government." He claimed authorities had tried to block the event and that organizers had to change venues multiple times.
"I am saddened that my former party, PML-N, which once championed democracy, now only seeks power," he added.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of the Movement to Protect the Constitution, said that people in Pakistan were deprived of their democratic rights. "When citizens demand their right to govern, accusations begin," he said.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja questioned whether the establishment’s dominance in Pakistani politics could end. "It is possible," he said, adding that middle-class support for PTI had grown.
Journalist Afzal Butt, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), criticized press restrictions, saying, "Full stops and commas are now banned." He recalled past government actions against media freedom and warned that a lack of accountability would lead to further repression.
Senior journalist Asma Shirazi called for an end to media partisanship, arguing that some journalists were aligned with political parties rather than the truth.
Second-day session uncertain
As the conference continued, organizers faced a setback. Abbasi said that Legend Hotel, where the second-day session was planned, had refused to provide Asma Jahangir Hall.
Abbasi also clarified that Manzoor Pashteen and Maharang Baloch had not been invited to the conference, contradicting PTI's Salman Akram Raja, who had earlier stated they would speak on the second day.
The event is set to continue on Thursday, with opposition leaders expected to outline their next steps.
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