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The opposition alliance operating under the banner of Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) has announced the launch of its protest campaign, beginning with a public rally in Islamabad on April 20, the Express Tribune reported.
The move signals the start of a renewed political showdown with the ruling PML-N-led coalition. According to TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Yousafzai, the rally will be hosted by the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and held in the G-9 sector of the capital. Yousafzai confirmed that key opposition leaders, including TTAP and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and senior figures from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), will address the gathering. He also said that invitations would be extended to other opposition parties to join the event. This announcement comes just weeks after the conclusion of a two-day multi-party opposition conference that laid the foundation for the protest drive. The conference ended with a joint declaration calling for the supremacy of the Constitution, the immediate release of political prisoners, fresh elections, and the repeal of what the alliance described as "unconstitutional amendments" introduced by the government, reported the Express Tribune. Despite the growing momentum, internal disagreements persist within the alliance--most notably the reluctance of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) to formally join the protest movement. JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has withheld support, citing concerns about PTI's leadership structure in the absence of its jailed founder, Imran Khan. PTI leaders had expressed optimism that JUI-F might commit to the alliance following Eid, but no agreement has yet materialised. Sources familiar with the negotiations suggest that while most disputes between PTI and JUI-F have been settled, the key issue remains leadership, the Express Tribune reported. Fazl is reportedly firm in his demand that any PTI representative leading the movement must have full authority--an assurance PTI is struggling to provide due to limited communication with Khan, who remains incarcerated. (ANI)
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