ISLAMABAD, SEP 11: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Friday announced that the joint opposition would hold an All Parties Conference (APC) soon on the creation of new provinces in the country.
The PTI chairman made the remarks following a delegation-level meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazalur Rehman at his residence.
Speaking to journalists outside Fazal’s residence, Gohar said, “Today was the first meeting regarding the joint opposition,” adding that they decided to take all political parties into confidence on national issues.
The development came a day after Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry had announced that parliamentary debate on the creation of new provinces would be held in October.
The “joint opposition platform” would be used for consultation on assembly sessions and matters concerning prisoners, he added.
The PTI chairman said they had previously discussed formation of a joint opposition with the JUI-F chief, adding that they agreed on the issue in the Senate and National Assembly.
Gohar said the first meeting had been encouraging and that consultations would continue in the future too.
He added that the opposition had not yet been invited to join their proposed long march, while discussions were held on participation in the APC.
For his part, JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said, “We welcome the arrival of the opposition,” adding that the consultative meeting discussed the proposed APC, the establishment of provinces and other issues.
Haideri said that the political parties would have to play a collective role in resolving the country’s problems, adding that other parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, were protesting against inflation.
He said JUI-F had also held rallies across the country over inflation.
According to a declaration issued after the meeting, a PTI delegation led by Chairman Barrister Gohar visited the residence of the JUI-F chief.
The delegation also included Salman Akram Raja, Asad Qaiser, Firdous Shamim Naqvi and Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai.
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Maulana Asad Mahmood were also present during the meeting, read the statement.
The participants discussed the proposed APC by the Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP).
It further said that the meeting also discussed the PT’s September 27 call, the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution.
The participants held detailed discussions on strengthening the constitutional and democratic system in the country.
The need for mutual consultation and joint struggle among political parties was also discussed, the statement added.
Separately, in an X post, TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the process of consultations had been initiated regarding arranging a meeting between the offices of the opposition leader and the prime minister, following a letter from Prime Minister Shehbaz.
“In view of Pakistan’s deteriorating situation, it has been decided that an All Parties Conference will be convened at the earliest,” he added.
Earlier in the day, an opposition leaders’ meeting was held in the chamber of Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the Opposition Leader in the Senate, under the chairmanship of Achakzai.
The TTAP chief said that the meeting discussed and consulted on the matter of the September 27 protest.
The debate was ignited in July by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who said the country’s governance system had “collapsed” and called for fundamental reforms, arguing Pakistan should move toward new administrative units with greater powers devolved to lower levels.
He later stood by his assessment that the system had been “completely destroyed”, while clarifying he was referring to its deterioration over the past 80 years rather than any particular government.
On September 5, Naqvi said the creation of new administrative units should be based on the people’s wishes, describing the moment as requiring a system reset.
“Reset does not mean breaking down the system. Reset means making wrongs right,” he said, adding that work on new administrative units would only proceed if backed by the people of Pakistan.
The debate subsequently widened when Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal called for a national discussion on Pakistan’s administrative structure and proposed 12 to 15 provinces.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ruling allies, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), appear divided over the creation of new administrative units or provinces.
