ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Opposition leaders on Wednesday gathered at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad and agreed to strengthen their alliance and parliamentary coordination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a meeting during which they discussed several matters, including the emergency and governor\u2019s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, JUI-F and TTAP decided to form committees to resolve mutual differences and take forward consultations on a multi-party conference (MPC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
National Assembly (NA) and Senate opposition leaders, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, respectively, attended the meeting. MNA Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, NA Chief Whip Amir Dogar and Senator Noorul Haq Qadri were present from PTI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) \u2014 headed by Achakzai \u2014 termed it a meeting of a \u201cunited opposition\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An earlier statement by JUI-F said the gathering was to discuss \u201cthe situation of emergency and governor\u2019s rule\u201d in KP, as well as plans for an MPC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its statement, TTAP said the meeting was also \u201cdiscussing unity and solidarity among opposition parties, the supremacy of the Constitution and law, the protection of democratic rights, a joint strategy to address the current political situation, and a future course of action\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Aug 20, following a meeting between Fazl and Achakzai, the alliance and JUI-F had announced plans to form a \u201cunited opposition\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Achakzai said the delegation had called on Fazl with the objective of building an alliance to strengthen Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He condemned what he described as a character assassination campaign against the JUI-F chief and declared that the opposition stood firmly with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that the possibility of convening an MPC was also discussed during the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his remarks, Fazl also said the opposition would work to strengthen its presence in Parliament and protect the interests of every part of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), he said his party had opposed the 2018 merger, adding that the issue was now being linked to a struggle over resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also expressed concern over what he alleged were attempts to bring Gwadar, the coastal belt and Sindh\u2019s islands under federal control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JUI-F chief said the opposition had already represented the people\u2019s concerns regarding the imposition of emergency and governor\u2019s rule in KP, stressing that it was speaking about the public mandate and national interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The leaders agreed to continue consultations and establish a committee to address differences among opposition parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senator Abbas alleged that the governor\u2019s rule had been illegally imposed in KP and accused the authorities of targeting those who raised their voices for the country\u2019s welfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On its part, the Centre maintains that the security situation in the province and the PTI-led provincial government\u2019s \u201cdeliberate disengagement\u201d from the counterterrorism fight \u201ccompelled\u201d it to take the measures on Oct 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing reporters, the Senate opposition leader lamented that the sanctity of homes and the privacy of citizens were being violated as authorities detained people from their residences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He warned of decreasing public confidence in the country\u2019s institutions, claiming Pakistan had reached one of the worst periods in its history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TTAP said its spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, PTI founder Imran Khan\u2019s legal counsel Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, and Agha Nasir Shirazi also attended the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JUI-F team included its vice-president and KP chapter president Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman, senators Kamran Murtaza and Maulana Attaul Haq Darwish, alongside party members Akram Khan Durrani, Aslam Ghauri, Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi, Hafiz Hamdullah and Zahid Durrani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PTI alarmed over Imran\u2019s \u2018high blood pressure\u2019
Meanwhile, PTI\u2019s Raja raised concerns about Imran\u2019s health, saying his blood pressure was not under control. He thanked Fazl for supporting the PTI and alleged that the JUI-F chief was being \u201cpunished\u201d for standing with the party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imran \u2014 in prison since Aug 5, 2023 in multiple cases \u2014 had complained of uncontrolled and fluctuating blood pressure along with palpitations, headache and restlessness in early August, according to annexures attached to a jail report submitted to the Supreme Court (SC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an official statement issued today, PTI expressed grave concern over its founder\u2019s health, saying his blood pressure had surged to 192. It demanded his immediate transfer to Shifa International Hospital for independent medical treatment under the supervision of his personal physicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said repeated fluctuations in the ex-cricketer\u2019s blood pressure were a matter of extreme concern, stressing that protecting his health was the responsibility of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He accused the government of denying Imran adequate medical facilities, family access and treatment of his choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He demanded immediate implementation of the SC\u2019s Aug 18 order directing Imran\u2019s transfer to Shifa International Hospital, with treatment supervised by his personal and family-appointed doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imran\u2019s eye ailment \u2014 right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) \u2014 came to light in late January. While he has undergone eye procedures and check-ups at the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), his family demands that he be shifted to a hospital of his choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government and the opposition have been engaged in a blame game, with the latter accusing the former of a lack of transparency on the matter, of not ensuring appropriate treatment for Imran, and of not allowing his personal physicians access to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government denies these allegations, saying the required medical treatment is being ensured and ample facilities are being provided at the Adiala jail, including a healthy diet plan and exercise equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fazl\u2019s PTI ties amid row with Centre
Wednesday\u2019s gathering came a day after PTI said it would welcome support from Fazl in its struggle against the government, with Raja telling the media that the party would welcome anyone who stood by it and supported its struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is possible that some may walk with us for one mile, some for 10 miles, and some may go with us till the end. But why should we reject them?\u201d the PTI secretary general said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fazl has been critical of the federal government over the imposition of governor\u2019s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He accused the Centre of reneging on its commitments amid his efforts to mediate between the federal and KP governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since mid-October, the veteran politician and key federal ministers have also made harsh remarks against each other, after Fazl accused the Centre of depriving the provinces of their rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, Fazl accused the government of misusing the Constitution and resorting to unconstitutional measures in imposing the emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In September, TTAP and PTI leaders said they intended to hold consultations to call an MPC to discuss several issues, including the creation of new provinces, law and order, and the economy. This was prior to the government\u2019s declaration of emergency and governor\u2019s rule in KP on Oct 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the days preceding the emergency, political tensions between the Centre and the opposition \u2014 including the PTI, which was in power in KP \u2014 had remained high since Imran\u2019s party announced a protest march to Islamabad to demand his release.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Opposition leaders on Wednesday gathered at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad and agreed to strengthen their alliance and parliamentary coordination. After a meeting during which they discussed several matters, including the emergency and governor\u2019s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, JUI-F and TTAP decided to form committees to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n