Opposition alliance to hold countrywide protest on July 26

Opposition alliance of Tehreek Tahafuz Aaeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) announced on Saturday that it will hold a countrywide protest on July 26 (Friday) for the release of all political prisoners, including PTI founding chairman Imran Khan and reclaiming the “stolen mandate”.

While passing a unanimous resolution seeking immediate release of political prisoners, the TTAP leadership also demanded an empowered judicial commission to probe firing on peaceful marchers in Bannu. The opposition alliance also sought resignation from the ruling party and demanded fresh elections. It lauded the recent Supreme Court’s decision on reserved seats as well.

The meeting of the opposition alliance was presided over by senior politician and head of the movement Mahmood Khan Achakzai, which was attended by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, PTI secretary general and Leader of Opposition National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, Leader of Opposition in Senate Senator Shibli Faraz and PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan.

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Chairman Sunni Ittehad Council Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Chairman Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen Allama Nasir Abbas and JUI Shirani Group leader Syed Qasim Agha also participated in the meeting. In the meeting, the participants held a detailed discussion over the prevailing political and economic situation of the country along with the future course of action.

They also passed a unanimous resolution demanding an immediate release of Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and all other PTI’s leaders and workers, stating the cases framed against Imran Khan and other party leaders and workers were a violation of laws and principles of justice.

They also demanded that an independent judicial commission should be constituted immediately to probe into the deaths and injuries caused by the firings on Bannu Aman March. The participants stressed the need that a judicial commission should be headed by a serving judge, which should be free from any external pressure, to ensure a transparent investigation into the violent incidents in Bannu.

They demanded that the incumbent IG and Chief Secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) miserably failed in restoring peace in the province; hence “they should be dismissed forthwith.” Through the resolution, they urged the government to immediately withdraw the rapid escalation in prices of electricity and gas.

They lamented that the nation was paying the price for the incompetence and ineptitude of the “unelected and non-representative government” in the shape a sky-rocking price hike of various kitchen items as well as power and gas.

The resolution reads that the incompetent government made the life of the rank and file miserable due to its as flawed policies and cruel actions, resultantly the inflation-ridden and poverty-stricken masses were left with no option but to sell their household goods to meet the daily expenses.

They called upon the government to take urgent steps to provide the much-needed relief to the public by reining in the back-breaking inflation and withdrawing the cruel hike in fuel price.

The participants of the meeting welcomed the historic decision of the Supreme Court pertaining to the reserved seats and termed the decision as a victory for the Constitution and the law. They highly appreciated the efforts of the judiciary for supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law and the restoration of democracy in the country.

TTAP also demanded that the unelected and non-representative government of “Form 47” should immediately resign and new elections be held in the country instantly.

In conclusion, the opposition’s grand alliance’s movement announced a nationwide protest on July 26 after Friday prayers for the acceptance of their demands.