ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Leaders of the opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Aiyeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), on Thursday slammed the government for welcoming President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Palestine even before knowing its details.
Speaking at a hurriedly called news conference here, the TTAP leaders noted that before the US president unveiled the peace plan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted to support and welcome it, and then Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at a news conference distanced the government from it.
The opposition leadership strongly condemned the Israeli forces for unleashing aggression and arresting those who had a message of peace and relief aid for the hapless Gaza people.
“Is this the way to run the country’s affairs that a prime minister hails the plan and after the reaction in the country and across the world, Dar says that it was not the peace plan they had agreed to,” asserted central leader of the alliance, ex-senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
He decried the “fascist tactics” being used by the government to control the media but insisted the opposition alliance would definitely continue to present its viewpoint on issues.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that the PTI is currently an important part of the opposition alliance and contended that political unity is indispensable to solve the problems facing the country.
He said the entire nation stands with the people of Palestine and argued that they would not accept any peace plan that would enslave them forever and pardon the perpetrators. “We also can’t support any plan that does not include the voice/ wish of Palestinians,” he maintained.
Referring to the ongoing situation in Azad Kashmir, he said that it was a natural public reaction against the use of brute force and fascism. He said the opposition alliance stands with the people of Kashmir, who have risen for their rights.
TTAP head Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that they stand for the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution and would never accept a “fake regime”. He alleged that the present government was formed on the basis of a lie and was conspiring against the country. He also criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz for proposing a Nobel Peace Prize for President Trump, who, he charged, was an all-out supporter of the person responsible for the massacre of 70,000 Palestinians.
Achakzai said Pakistan’s crisis would be over if the Constitution, which was unanimously approved during then PM Bhutto’s era, was restored.
MWM chief Senator Allama Nasir Abbas Jafri said that the Jews have illegally occupied Palestine; the Palestinian people are being massacred but the world remains a silent spectator.
He called Israel an illegitimate state and said that even the founder of Pakistan did not recognise Israel. He also came down hard on the incumbent government, calling it a usurper of the people’s mandate and accusing it of looting the nation.
Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, PTI Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram on Thursday criticised the prime minister for endorsing the 20-point accord on Palestine and Israel, terming it against national sentiment, while also questioning the government’s handling of unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and demanding clarity on alleged electoral irregularities.
Waqas Akram said the prime minister’s tweet hailing the agreement as “historic” was an insult to the people of Pakistan. “How can the prime minister sign agreements without even reading them? On one hand, he declares support for the accord, and on the other, he disowns it. This is a betrayal of the nation’s trust,” he remarked.
He maintained that the issue should have been placed before Parliament instead of being handled unilaterally. “Do not play with the religious sentiments of Pakistanis. This deal is against the emotions of the entire nation and will not be accepted under any circumstances,” he asserted.
The PTI information secretary lashed out at what he described as global indifference to Israeli aggression in Gaza. “Who will answer for the genocide committed in Palestine? Israel continues to kill innocent civilians and violate human rights, while the world remains silent. Instead of celebrating this accord, the government should have openly opposed this injustice,” he said, warning that the accord amounted to “bartering away justice in the name of peace.”
Turning to the unrest in the AJK, Waqas Akram condemned the state’s heavy-handed response to protests, alleging that over two dozen lives had already been lost. “We strongly oppose the use of force in Azad Kashmir. The government must restore internet services, withdraw Rangers, and release our detained leaders immediately. The PTI stands firmly with the demands of the Awami Action Committee,” he said.
He further criticised the government for failing to release the Commonwealth Observer Group’s election report, alleging that it confirmed massive electoral malpractice. “The report points to one of the worst riggings in our history, where PTI’s mandate was deliberately stolen. It highlights how our party was targeted through media censorship, judicial pressure, politically motivated convictions, and unconstitutional restrictions. It clearly says that the vote was stolen and democracy sabotaged,” he added.
Waqas Akram said international observers had already questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process. “The world is calling these rulers vote thieves. They must apologise to the people of Pakistan and Palestine for their duplicity. It is time the government abandons its double standards and clearly states whether it stands with the oppressed people of Palestine or not,” he declared.
The PTI leader concluded that the party would not let the matter rest. “The government will have to answer every question related to this accord, the use of force in AJK, and the theft of people’s mandate. We will ensure they are held accountable before the nation,” he vowed.