ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Senator Shibli Faraz has announced that the party is in discussions with the opposition alliance and will formally launch nationwide protests against the government after Eidul Fitr.
Speaking to the media outside the Peshawar High Court, Faraz stated that talks with opposition parties are progressing and a final agreement is expected soon. “We will take to the streets together after Eid,” he declared.
He strongly criticised the current government’s one-year tenure, describing it as the darkest period in Pakistan’s history. Faraz accused the ruling coalition of pushing laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 and the 26th Constitutional Amendment through force rather than democratic processes.
“All they have done is waste billions on advertisements while failing to deliver any real progress,” he asserted.
The PTI leader also took aim at the expansion of the federal cabinet, labelling it a political reward for defectors. He warned that inflation is spiralling out of control, and the country is sinking deeper into debt.
Faraz voiced concern over rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, pointing out that militants have reached areas such as Bannu. He praised PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur for efforts to maintain stability in the region.
He also referenced ongoing protests in Sindh over water shortages, calling the government’s handling of the crisis negligent and incompetent.
Regarding backdoor negotiations, he admitted that talks with the government occasionally resume but often collapse, stressing that PTI is now fully preparing for mass protests after Eid.
Earlier in the day, the Peshawar High Court heard a case involving Senator Shibli Faraz and other PTI leaders. The court extended their protective bail, while their lawyer requested full disclosure of all cases filed against them.
During the proceedings, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented its report, but the defence team requested additional time to review the details. The court ordered them to examine the report before the next hearing.
Meanwhile, efforts to form a united opposition alliance against the PML-N-led coalition government remain in limbo. Sources say that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has yet to fully commit due to unresolved concerns regarding PTI’s leadership structure.
With Imran Khan currently imprisoned, Fazlur Rehman has reportedly asked PTI to clarify who holds ultimate decision-making authority—whether Khan will continue leading from jail or if a designated representative will take charge of the alliance’s future actions.
