Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar vows to continue ‘mission’ come what many

Khayam Abbasi

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 Geo News, 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.

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, while addressing the opposition parties’ conference, criticised the government for suppressing dissent and restricting political freedoms.

He said that independent thought could not be silenced and vowed not to allow such restrictions. Khokhar accused the authorities of withholding Sindh’s water rights and denying the province its due share.

Condemning the suppression of opposition voices, he said that constitutional violations were ongoing. He also criticised the attempts to prevent the conference.

“The objective was to stop this conference from happening,” the former senator remarked, adding that while the government claims to uphold democracy, it fears an opposition gathering.

He emphasised that the conference aimed to devise an agenda for the country’s betterment.

According to Khokhar, Pakistan is facing a severe political crisis, with no sign of constitutional governance. He asserted that the social contract between the state and its citizens had been broken.