Achakzai-led opposition alliance decides to stay away from PTI Islamabad march

• TTAP leaders want all opposition parties to be part of movement.
• Alliance decides against attending PTI protest despite being told.
• Its leaders believe in countrywide protest, comprehensive planning.
  

ISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) looks set to march onto Islamabad to hold its "do-or-die" protest today, the Mahmood Khan Achakzai-led opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) has decided against becoming part of the former ruling party's protest, The News reported on Sunday.

According to well-placed sources in the PTI and the TTAP, the alliance's leaders hold a different viewpoint — as opposed to the PTI — and want a mutually agreed upon date reached via a consensus to hold the protest with a different mode altogether.

The development comes as authorities have sealed off several roads leading to Islamabad and have deployed additional security personnel to deter the PTI workers and supporters.

Meanwhile, internet services have also witnessed disruptions in the federal capital along with Karachi, Peshawar and other cities.

The stern measures come as the incumbent government has categorically maintained that it cannot allow the Imran Khan-founded party to hold a demonstration in Islamabad in the light of Islamabad High Court's (IHC) order which came in light of the three-day official visit of the Belarusian president from November 25 to 27.

The court, on Thursday, had directed the authorities not to allow the PTI to protest in the federal capital in adherence to the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 — which empowers the district magistrate to regulate and ban public assemblies.

Despite the restrictions, the former ruling party — during a huddle at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister House — has decided to go ahead with its protest and has chalked out a comprehensive strategy while refusing to defer the demonstration until its demands were met.

However, the party — during the meeting attended by its lawmakers — has decided to keep the doors for negotiations open saying that its protest will only culminate upon Khan's release.

'Our party's decision to protest'

The PTI's protest strategy seemingly does not fall in line with the TTAP's leadership including Achakzai, Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas — all of whom have maintained silence over the PTI's "solo flight".

It is said that the aforementioned leaders wanted all the opposition parties, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Jamiat Ulem-e-Islam (JUI-F), to be a part of any movement for the restoration of democracy, the Constitution and an independent parliament.

The opposition leaders believe that the protest should be countrywide with comprehensive preparation and mobilisation, and after momentum is built, only then, if a meaningful dialogue offer is made, it should be accepted. 

Otherwise, a date for a peaceful long march towards Islamabad could be announced as the last option.

The sources said that PTI's sudden announcement of protest and straight away marching on the federal capital might not be result-oriented and turn out to be a political setback to the opposition.

It was learnt that after the announcement of the November 24 protest, PTI founder chairman Imran Khan had asked the party leadership to take the opposition alliance on board.

"Unlike previous occasions in recent times, the opposition leadership chose not to attend the PTI protest after having been formally intimated about it," said the sources.

"It is our party's decision to protest," said PTI's Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram when asked about the issue.

Furthermore, Akram chose not to answer when inquired about why the opposition alliance's leadership was not interested in participating in their protest despite having actively attended their public meetings and rallies.