Opposition alliance not against army: Achakzai

Clarifies opposition parties have come together to save the country

ISLAMABAD:

Mahmood Khan Achakzai has clarified that the newly formed alliance of opposition parties—Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aain—is not cobbled together to spread hatred against any state institution, including the army and spy agencies.

“We have no differences with the army. We acknowledge that no country can operate without the help of its spy agencies,” Achakzai said on Thursday while talking to the media after chairing a meeting of the alliance in Islamabad.

Achakzai, representing PkMAP, was elected earlier this month as head of the six-party alliance also comprising the PTI, the JI, the SIC, the MWM, and the BNP-M. The Thursday meeting in Islamabad was also attended by representatives of the parties—including PTI’s Omar Ayub, SIC’s Hamid Raza, and MWM’s Nasir Abbas.

Achakzai said, “We want to clarify that this alliance was not formed to spread hatred against any institution. It has been created to save Pakistan. Because the country is going through its most dangerous period at the moment, and it can only be saved from crises through social consensus.”

He said it has been decided to appoint the PTI as the coordinator of the alliance.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Ayub said the alliance will hold a protest on Friday (today) against the government formed on the basis of “Form 47” and alleged rigging in by-elections in Punjab.

“We will stage a protest against the illegal detention of our workers and leaders, including PTI founder Imran Khan. On May 5, we will stage a rally in Karachi, and on May 10, we will hold a public meeting in Faisalabad. We will continue this protest throughout the country,” he said.

SIC’s Hamid Raza said the fake government in Punjab had already initiated a crackdown against the opposition through the ruthless police chief of the province.

“The authorities have made lists of political workers and started detaining them even before our protest. Since yesterday, more than 15 parliamentarians' houses in Faisalabad have been raided.

“I will inform the federal interior minister and the Punjab inspector general that political workers are used to such things, but those who lay hands on women in our houses will have their hands cut off.”

He said the opposition had tolerated the provincial government’s coercive measures so far but would hold their protest come what may. “We will not allow any further brutality in any case. Such barbaric behavior has never been seen before. This law of the jungle will not last long,” he said.