The PTI has enlisted former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to spearhead its opposition alliance against the federal government, following last week’s collapse of talks between the ruling coalition and opposition parties. The decision was made during a gathering of key opposition figures at the residence of former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser in Banigala.
The meeting was attended by PTI-backed opposition leader Omar Ayub, PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, SIC chief Hamid Raza, MWM leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, and Mr Abbasi. Sources said that Mr Abbasi was chosen to head the alliance’s steering committee due to his non-controversial political standing, though the committee is yet to be formally constituted.
The PTI’s efforts to expand the alliance have included outreach to Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mr Khokhar, seeking their participation in a broader anti-government front. PTI founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated, had recently written to Army Chief Gen Asim Munir, proposing steps to mend the reported trust deficit between the public and the military.
PTI officials confirmed that the grand opposition alliance, initially formed last year under the banner of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, now aims to unify opposition forces against the government. The coalition already includes the Sunni Ittehad Council, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamaat-i-Islami, and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen.
Faisal Chaudhry, a lawyer representing Imran Khan, said the meeting participants unanimously called for the government’s resignation and the holding of free and fair elections. He added that KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had been advised to avoid issuing statements against Maulana Fazlur Rehman, as the PTI seeks to strengthen its alliance with the veteran politician.
Mr Chaudhry also said that discussions covered concerns over rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, leading to the formation of a committee to devise a strategy. Additionally, attendees resolved to support the media and legal community regarding amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and judicial appointments in the Islamabad High Court.
Meanwhile, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui criticized the PTI for abandoning negotiations and instead writing to the army chief. He argued that such letters had previously yielded no results, recalling a similar attempt when Arif Alvi was president. He urged PTI to engage in serious negotiations rather than rely on symbolic gestures.
