ISLAMABAD: Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), a coalition of opposition parties, launched a sweeping assault on the government on Friday, accusing it of deepening a political and constitutional crisis and warning that failure to address mounting grievances could push the country’s unrest onto the streets.
After a late-night consultative meeting, TTAP leaders Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mustafa Nawaz Khokar, Muhammad Zubair and others issued a sweeping challenge to the government, demanding the resignation of the Balochistan administration, the release of political prisoners, a postponement of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and an emergency joint session of Parliament.
“The country has become trapped in a quagmire, caught in a storm and engulfed in a fire,” Khokar said, accusing the government of ignoring public anger and failing to address the grievances fuelling unrest across Balochistan, AJK and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The opposition alliance’s strongest criticism was directed at the Balochistan government, which it held responsible for the deteriorating situation in the province.
The TTAP condemned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Balochistan, claiming he held closed-door meetings with officials but avoided meeting protesters in Quetta and Ziarat who were demonstrating alongside the bodies of relatives killed in recent violence.
The alliance questioned why families of slain civilians and police personnel had not received direct assurances from the government and accused the authorities of becoming disconnected from public suffering.
“The government has become indifferent to Pakistan’s problems and to the emotions of its people,” Khokar said, demanding the immediate resignation of the Balochistan provincial government.
The TTAP also revived the issue of missing persons in Balochistan, demanding that every missing individual be produced before courts within the constitutional timeframe, regardless of the allegations against them.
The alliance further alleged that armed groups described by critics as “death squads” had operated in the province with state backing and demanded an end to any such support.
The opposition coalition also demanded the release of what it described as thousands of political prisoners, including former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, DrMahrang Baloch and other political activists.
It accused the government of using arrests and prosecutions as political weapons and called for an end to what it termed politically motivated cases.
Turning to AJK, the TTAP said the current unrest had made elections impossible and backed calls from the Joint Action Committee, which has been declared proscribed by the AJK government, for postponement of the polls. The alliance urged authorities to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than force.
“A hard state cannot be established in the region where we live,” Achakzai said, warning against excessive use of state power and stressing the need to respect constitutional boundaries and local sensitivities.
Despite questioning the legitimacy of the current Parliament, the TTAP demanded an immediate joint session to debate the country’s security and political challenges.
The alliance called for a closed-door briefing by security officials and demanded answers from state institutions over the worsening situation.
“If Parliament is not considered worthy of being part of this collective effort, then unfortunately these matters will be decided on the streets,” the leaders warned.
The alliance announced plans for nationwide rallies in Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a detailed schedule to be announced after consultations with allied parties.
The protests will coincide with the third anniversary of Imran Khan’s imprisonment on August 5.
PTI acting chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also warned of further political escalation, alleging that constitutional protections and fair trial standards were being ignored in cases against PTI leaders.
He raised concerns over the possibility of a conviction involving Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, saying further action against the former premier’s family would intensify political tensions.
The TTAP ended its meeting by expressing solidarity with protesters in Balochistan and AJK, insisting that the government must address grievances through political engagement before the crisis spirals beyond control.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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