Pak opposition alliance to launch countrywide drive against govt

The opposition has decided to use Balochistan as a launching pad which has been battling a homegrown insurgency led by Baloch nationalists.

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party under the umbrella of a "grand opposition alliance" on Saturday announced a countrywide movement against the alleged rigging in the February 8 election and the government established by tampering of the mandate.

The launch of the movement indicates that the dream of post-election peace and political stability will be wilting sooner than expected.

The six-party alliance that includes Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, in a late-night meeting that continued till the early hours of Saturday decided to come together under the banner of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), a movement to protect the Constitution of Pakistan.

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai was nominated as president of the alliance at the hours-long meeting, which was presided over by Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

Sunni Ittehad Council chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza Khan, Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen Chairman Raja Nasir Abbas and Jamaat-i-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch also attended the meeting.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan told the media after the meeting that the movement aimed to restore the rule of law in the country and it would be launched with a public rally from the Pishin area of Balochistan from Saturday.

"All political parties have joined the opposition alliance of their own will in view of the deteriorating situation in all fields," he said.

Omer said that the movement was being launched against alleged massive rigging in the February 8 elections, as the alliance rejected the 'government' established by tampering with the election result.

Achakzai addressing the press conference declared that the alliance was not against the Army but they were against its political role as given in the Constitution. "The Constitution is a social contract and we will start public meetings from Saturday for its protection," Achakzai said.

He also opposed any extension in the service of any civil and military officers.

The new opposition alliance may not pose any immediate threat to the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party but the group may unsettle it with a prolonged presence on the streets at a time when the country needs peace to address multiple economic and security challenges. The opposition has decided to use Balochistan as a launching pad which has been battling a homegrown insurgency led by Baloch nationalists. The province has also suffered at the hands of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as it shares a porous border with Afghanistan.

Balochistan is also the most underdeveloped region of Pakistan and the opposition parties may try to exploit the sentiments of the people for political objectives.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)