Opposition alliance announces two-day APC in Islamabad

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.

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.

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.

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.