Opposition seeks to forge ‘grand alliance’

PTI-led government involved in vindictive acts against its leadership: Opposition members

KARACHI: The opposition parties in protest have decided to form a Grand Opposition Alliance (GOA) against the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

A meeting in this regard was held between Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazlur Rehman (PML-F) chief.

It was decided that the opposition would call All Parties Conference (APC) where matters concerning GOA would be discussed. The date and venue of the APC would be decided soon.

Zardari and Rehman said that the protest campaign against the government would be launched from GOA’s platform. GOA would also keep the option of a million-man march and sit-ins.

It was decided that the opposition would stage the protest in a democratic manner.

PPP sources said that if the federal government tried to enforce governor’s rule in Sindh, PPP would challenge the measure in court and protests on parliamentary and mass levels would be staged.

It was reported that Asif Zardari was in contact with all like-minded parties and leadership over Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani’s arrest by NAB. After getting a green signal from PPP leadership, the Sindh government would take any legal step.

Sources said that efforts can be put in by the Sindh government if it decided to pass legislation through assembly to stop NAB action within the province.

Meanwhile, opposition circles said that Prime Minister Imran Khan did not take politicians or parliament into confidence on decisions of national importance for which the process of legislation in parliament got delayed.

The opposition alleged that PTI-led government was involved in vindictive acts against its leadership.