Opposition alliance vows to fight 'unconstitutional forces'

• Opposition accuses govt of threatening hotel administration.
• Vows to proceed with two-day moot despite threats.
• Ayub condemns lack of rule of law in country. 

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said on Wednesday that the opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, has decided to fight "unconstitutional and undemocratic forces" in the country. 

Achakzai's statement came at the end of the Grand Alliance Conference's first day. The opposition parties will continue the moot tomorrow. 

"We will continue this sacred battle against unconstitutional and undemocratic forces in a democratic manner," Achakzai said while speaking to journalists in Islamabad, flanked by other opposition leaders.

The meeting was attended by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Awam Pakistan's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen's (MWM) Nasir Shirazi and others.

Talking to the media, Abbasi accused the government of "threatening an Islamabad hotel's administration" to revoke permission for the second day of its two-day conference, which was being held at the venue.

He said the alliance has been trying to hold a conference for the past month. "When we decided to hold the conference in a marquee, it was opposed by saying that cricket teams pass from near the venue," he claimed.

“There was nothing which was against any matter of the state or any talk of incitement. Just talks on the Constitution and the rule of law," the former premier said adding that the incumbent government is "afraid of a single conference and cannot bear this".

Abbasi, who was previously part of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, noted that the conference was not out in the streets with the participation of hundreds of thousands.

"The hotel administration told us that they were threatened to revoke the permission for the second day of the moot. When we asked the administration to give us in writing why the conference could not be held for the above reason, they [staff] expressed their helplessness," he added.  

However, he said, the alliance has decided that this conference will definitely take place tomorrow. "This is our constitutional right and we are talking about the Constitution,” he added.

For his part, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub condemned the lack of rule of law in the country.

Condemning the authorities for "threatening the hotel administration", he vowed that the opposition alliance would proceed with the event.

Ayub said that the speakers talked about strengthening the country, adding that everyone gathered was of a democratic mindset.

"We are talking to strengthen the country and here the hotel administration came to us and expressed their desperation that they are under pressure," he added.

The convergence of opposition parties comes against the backdrop of now-stalled negotiations between the PTI and the ruling coalition which failed to produce much results despite multiple rounds of talks.

The Imran Khan-founded party, since then, has engaged in a contact drive — initiated in light of ex-PM's directives — with the TTAP leaders also visiting Sindh to meet the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) with the two sides agreeing to work together for the supremacy of the Constitution and independence of the judiciary and parliament in the country.

The two sides also agreed to form committees as the next step in working together to achieve a common agenda.

'Pakistanis deprived of being stakeholders'

Addressing the forum earlier, TTAP chief Achakzai emphasised the fundamental human desire to participate in governance.

He said that the benefits of independence had not trickled down to the grassroots level, leaving many citizens deprived of their due share in decision-making.

Achakzai expressed his concern that people in Pakistan had not been made stakeholders in governance. He lamented that demanding one's rights often results in baseless accusations.

Highlighting his own experiences, Achakzai said: "We have been imprisoned countless times, yet we have never stood against Pakistan".

He recalled that even when his father was in prison, he continued to sing the national anthem with pride.

Reflecting on his parliamentary journey, he mentioned that upon taking the oath as an MNA in 1993, he questioned whether it was merely a formality. "The speaker at the time assured me that it was not," he added.

Achakzai also criticised the handling of the February 8 elections, describing it as an unprecedented violation of constitutional principles.

He asserted: "We seek the right to govern in this country, and that right can only be achieved through the supremacy of the Constitution".

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of remembering those whose sacrifices had paved the way for political power.

"Those who attain power through the sacrifices of martyrs and the struggles of political workers must never be forgotten," he concluded.

'Dysfunctional nations'

Meanwhile, speaking at the conference, Awam Pakistan's Abbasi said that the government was so fearful today that even a conference to discuss the Constitution could not take place.

Expanding on the symposium's agenda, the ex-PM noted that it would focus on the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

He further criticised his — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar’s former party — Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — for imposing restrictions on the conference.

Abbasi questioned why the authorities had failed to end political instability in the country. "When political parties abandon their principles, nations cannot function," he remarked.

He condemned the introduction of laws aimed at suppressing voices and expressed concern over the state of justice in the country. "It is unfortunate that even speaking out has become difficult," he added.

The politician warned that without democracy and respect for public opinion, the country would not be able to progress.