ISLAMABAD: The coalition of several opposition parties, under the banner of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), held their two-day conference after participating leaders forced their way into the hotel hosting the moot.
The two-day conference took place at a local hotel in Islamabad on the second and final day, with the opposition accusing the government of pressuring the hotel administration to cancel the event’s permission.
During the first day, the opposition alliance discussed various issues, including freedom of speech and political instability in the country, constitutional breaches, and human rights violations.
Meanwhile, as Islamabad authorities sealed the local hotel today to prevent the opposition parties’ conference from taking place, some leaders climbed over the gate to enter the venue.
According to Media, the administration had locked the premises beforehand. Police told the participants that no such gathering had been permitted. With official approval denied, some opposition leaders scaled the hotel gate and unlocked the main entrance from inside, allowing others to enter.
Among those who managed to enter were opposition leaders TTAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja.
Subsequently, the opposition leaders announced that they would hold the conference in the hotel lobby, while police personnel and FC units remained stationed outside.
SIC chief Raza, while speaking at the conference, condemned the attempts to obstruct the event, saying that efforts were made to prevent the gathering from taking place.
He criticised the restrictions on political discourse, remarking that even a small group of individuals can no longer hold discussions in the capital.
Raza highlighted that the attendees included members of the National Assembly and Senate. Expressing his concern over the state of democracy, he said that it was at least reassuring that voices advocating for constitutional supremacy were still being raised.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan claimed that the people have risen and their voices cannot be silenced. He declared the opposition’s conference a success, highlighting the growing public dissent against the current administration.
Gohar, speaking to journalists in the federal capital, stressed the need for judicial independence and the rule of law, emphasising that a fair and impartial judiciary is crucial for democracy.
He revealed that there had been a suggestion to hold the conference at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, but the committee decided on the current venue.
He clarified that this movement is not about revolution but about amplifying the people’s voice, which has already gained momentum.
Criticising the government, he remarked that those in power lack public support and legitimacy. –Agencies
