'United opposition' gathers at Fazl's Islamabad residence to discuss KP situation, other matters

Opposition leaders convened at the residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss the imposition of emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), among other issues. The National Assembly and Senate opposition leaders, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, respectively, along with key PTI figures, participated in the meeting.

The gathering was also intended to plan a multi-party conference (MPC). The opposition alliance, Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP), led by Achakzai, described the meeting as a "united opposition" discussion on unity, the Constitution, democratic rights, and a strategy to tackle the political situation. Notable attendees from PTI included PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, NA Chief Whip Amir Dogar, and Senator Noorul Haq Qadri.

The meeting transpired a day after PTI pledged to support Fazl in his conflict with the government, with Raja stating that the party would welcome anyone who backed it and its cause. PTI's flexibility was evident in its willingness to accept varying levels of involvement from Fazl, as Raja noted. The veteran politician and former federal ministers have been engaged in a feisty exchange since mid-October, with Fazl accusing the Centre of reneging on its promises to provinces regarding their rights.