Islamabad, February 22, 2025: Amid stalled negotiations between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government, opposition parties are intensifying efforts to strengthen their anti-government alliance. Plans are underway to engage with like-minded political groups through key meetings and discussions, an English daily reported on Saturday.
As part of this outreach, opposition leaders will embark on a three-day visit to Sindh, where they will meet political figures, including Pir Pagara, leaders of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), and Ayaz Palijo in Hyderabad. The move comes just days after PTI founder Imran Khan directed party leaders to expedite alliances with opposition forces in preparation for nationwide protests after Eid.
According to Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, PTI is working toward forming a grand opposition alliance centered on key objectives such as restoring the constitution and democracy. Following Khan’s instructions, senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser has been tasked with reaching out to opposition parties, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s Awaam Pakistan, the GDA, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Mahrang Baloch, and others.
The opposition’s Sindh visit will include high-level meetings with political allies, business leaders, bar association members, PTI Karachi officials, and journalists. The delegation will comprise PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Achakzai, Qaiser, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Akhunzada Hussain, and leaders from the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM).
Separately, former Prime Minister and Awaam Pakistan Party convener Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, alongside Achakzai, told reporters that discussions among opposition parties were ongoing, as the public sought solutions to the country’s crises.
“[Mahmood Khan] Achakzai consulted me regarding the national conference scheduled for February 26-27. We agreed to hold the event to explore viable solutions for the country’s problems,” Abbasi said. He emphasized the need for an inclusive dialogue and announced plans to invite all stakeholders to the conference.
Addressing concerns over growing public disillusionment, he stressed, “The youth of Pakistan are losing hope. To restore their confidence, we must resolve the country’s pressing issues. Our survival depends on the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.”
Achakzai, who leads Tehreek Tahafuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan, reiterated the importance of strengthening parliamentary democracy through transparent elections. He extended an open invitation to all, including serving and retired generals and judges, urging collective wisdom to guide Pakistan out of its current crises.
“We need a fresh start for a democratic Pakistan, built on the principles of the rule of law and constitutional supremacy,” he concluded.
