The TTAP opposition movement moved a step closer on Monday, as the Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan hinted at a campaign against the government and said it hoped JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would lead it. The alliance plans to hold a multiparty conference first, and only then launch the movement.
TTAP spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain Ahmed Yousufzai told Dawn that the alliance had agreed in principle to gather on one platform. The understanding came out of a recent meeting between JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza and TTAP leaders.
“We hope that Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be one of the figures who will be leading the movement,” Yousufzai said. He added that the multiparty conference would be held soon, so that a movement could be started against the government after that.
Yousufzai warned that it had become apparent that JUI-F would “meet the same fate as PTI”. He said: “It is a war between democratic and undemocratic powers and TTAP will stand by the democratic people. We will always support those who are being suppressed.”
Last week, opposition leaders and the JUI-F agreed to tighten their alliance and coordinate in Parliament amid the fresh tensions with the federal government.
Why Fazl and the government fell out
Fazl has attacked the federal government over governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the Centre went back on its commitments while he was trying to mediate between the federal and provincial governments.
The row deepened in mid-October. On October 16, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, without naming anyone, that a “head of a party” was “extremely upset over being denied a role in a new setup in KP and not getting the governorship”.
A day later, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry hit back at Fazl directly. Fazl later said his criticism was aimed at policies, not at state institutions.
The row also reached Parliament, where Fazl questioned why Asif was absent and Naqvi present at a meeting of Makkah pact countries and Iran in Tehran. Naqvi replied the next day, defending his presence and accusing the JUI-F of “continuously crossing the line”.
On Friday, the JUI-F held protests across Sindh and Balochistan against what it called a “coordinated character assassination campaign” targeting its leader.
Fazl had already hinted at street agitation at a workers’ convention in Mansehra earlier this month, telling workers to stand firmly with him as he prepared to launch it. “I see you as the strongest force in the country. You must stand firm against oppression and adversity,” he said at the event.
What the TTAP opposition movement demands
In a separate statement, the TTAP said “disgraceful, derogatory and baseless allegations” were being levelled against a distinguished religious scholar and senior politician, calling the campaign “deeply regrettable, shameful and highly condemnable”.
“Political differences are the beauty of any democratic society; however, targeting someone’s honour, dignity, character and family under the pretext of political disagreement is not only contrary to religious, moral and social traditions but also pushes politics further into the depths of hatred, discord and division,” the statement said.
The alliance said differences should be settled through argument and dialogue, not character assassination, and demanded the campaign stop at once.
The TTAP also backed the JUI-F chief’s stand against governor’s rule and emergency in KP, saying the questions he raised should be answered through “reason, constitutional arguments and the rule of law”.
The statement called governor’s rule and emergency in KP “contrary to the spirit of provincial autonomy, the people’s mandate and parliamentary democracy”, and said the TTAP would oppose them “at every constitutional, political, parliamentary and legal forum”.
The statement also expressed “deep concern and regret” over the Peshawar High Court suspending hearings in cases under Article 199 of the Constitution after a Federal Constitutional Court decision, calling the closure of the courts to citizens “extremely alarming”.
The TTAP also demanded the medical reports of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, after their tests at Adiala jail on Sunday, be made public at once, and that the Supreme Court’s order moving Imran to Shifa International Hospital be carried out, with treatment in the presence of his personal physicians.
What happens next
The multiparty conference is the next step, though its date has not been announced. Much will depend on whether Fazl accepts the leading role the TTAP wants him to take.
The backdrop is the continuing stand-off over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the Centre has announced a Rs70 billion annual package for KP police and counterterrorism, and the prime minister has briefed Nawaz Sharif on KP security and the economy. The JUI-F has already taken to the streets over the row: its campaign against Fazl drew protests across Sindh and Balochistan on Friday.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TTAP?
The Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan is an opposition alliance that campaigns for the protection of the Constitution. It brings together opposition parties and leaders, including the PTI, and has been pressing the government on democratic and constitutional questions.
Who would lead the planned movement?
The TTAP says it hopes JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be one of the figures leading it. No final decision has been announced, and the alliance plans to hold a multiparty conference before launching any movement.
Why is the JUI-F at odds with the government?
Fazl has criticised the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and accused the Centre of going back on its commitments. The row worsened in mid-October after sharp remarks by federal ministers, and the JUI-F says its leader faces a coordinated character assassination campaign.
What is the alliance demanding about Imran Khan?
The TTAP wants the medical reports of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, made public after their tests at Adiala jail. It also wants the Supreme Court’s decision on Imran’s transfer to Shifa International Hospital carried out, with treatment in the presence of his personal physicians.
When will the movement start?
No date has been set. The TTAP says a multiparty conference will be held soon, and the movement will be launched after that. The timing will depend on the conference and on whether Fazl agrees to lead the effort.
