ISLAMABAD: Leaders of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain Pakistan (TTAP) on Wednesday announced a nationwide protest movement aimed at safeguarding judicial independence and ensuring adherence to the Constitution, as opposition voices grow louder against what they describe as escalating political repression and democratic backsliding.
Speaking at a joint press conference after a high-level strategy session, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza said demonstrations would be organised across Pakistan, including in Sindh and Punjab.
He added that an All Parties Conference (APC) is scheduled for May 5 in Karachi, followed by a public rally in Hyderabad on May 10.
Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser expressed grave concern over the erosion of judicial independence. “At present, Pakistan’s judiciary is under siege, judges are being disrespected. We want an independent judiciary where judges make decisions on merit,” he said.
His remarks come at a time when several judges have reportedly faced pressure and interference, a growing worry among the legal community and civil society.
Prominent lawyer and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja called this “a very delicate phase in our history,” urging for genuine representation in parliament and justice for all provinces.
He specifically referenced grievances in Sindh and Balochistan, saying: “The concerns of the people of Sindh and Balochistan must be addressed,” he said. “The country is in a period of oppression and lawlessness,” he added.
Balochistan has long suffered from enforced disappearances and economic disenfranchisement, with local leaders demanding greater control over the province’s resources.
In Sindh, recent controversies surrounding water distribution and canal projects have further deepened resentment, particularly among Pakistan Peoples Party leaders who accuse the federal government of overreach and inequity.
The fresh protest campaign follows the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Conference hosted by Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) on Sunday, opposition leaders, including Omar Ayub, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr Noor-ul-Haq Qadri rallied around the call for constitutional supremacy.
Ayub, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, lambasted the ruling coalition over the canals dispute, alleging that Sindh’s water was being diverted under a backroom deal.
He also denounced the clampdown on free speech, criticising the government for prioritising political crackdowns over national security, particularly in light of the Jaffar Express tragedy.
TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai demanded accountability from all state institutions, including intelligence agencies. Achakzai urged lawmakers to table a no-confidence motion against the National Assembly Speaker and boycott what he called “fake committees.”
Raja, speaking at the conference, reaffirmed the ideological unity between PTI, MWM, and other opposition parties.
MWM’s Allama Raja Nasir Abbas warned that political instability would persist without constitutional rule.
