Opposition parties on Friday called for the immediate release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch, while also demanding the solution of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), restoration of constitutional supremacy and an end to "Military interference" in democratic and legal affairs. The requirements were made in a joint statement at the end of the APC organized by Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-A-A-A-AAIN Pakistan (TTAP), which was held from July 31 to August 1 in Islamabad. The venue, originally arranged elsewhere, was suddenly canceled by the Islamabad administration – a moving participant condemned as a battle for people’s constitutional freedoms. The conference then hosted TTAP’s Vice President Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. Another important demand in the declaration was the requirement that Parliament was in confidence in a recent meeting between the Chief of Army Staff (Coas) Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump. The opposition noted that critical international developments, including the US Pakistani trade agreement, were now revealed by foreign leaders, undermined Pakistan’s diplomatic credibility. Participants expressed serious concern about the country’s deteriorating constitutional, political and economic crisis. They noted widespread public alienation with farmers in distress, with the middle class experiencing a 58% decrease in purchasing power and youth unemployment of over 30%. The conference condemned what it called ongoing fascism and political victim. It rejected the sentences that were handed down by what it described as "Kangaroo courts" Against opposition leaders and PTI members and called July 31 a dark day in the country’s democratic history. APC said fascism, political victim and judgments showed "The hybrid regime agenda [is] To eliminate all resistance."
The parties, calling for a new charter on democracy, said the constitution, fundamental rights and parliamentary system were severely undermined. They called for a national consensus on key principles, including constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, legal independence, choice transparency, solution of regional complaints, freedom of press, protection of women’s and minority rights. The Alliance rejected all constitutional changes that dilute parliamentary authority and demanded the immediate resolution of SIFC and called its formation constitutional and a violation of the 18th amendment. It also required revocation of a land lease that gave 4.8 million acres to the green initiative company.
"This alliance and parties participating in the conference declares the creation of the SIFC against the spirit of the 18th amendment and the Constitution and requires SIFC to dissolve," The statement read. "On July 8, 2024, Agreement between the Presidency and the Green Pakistan initiative is constitutional and must be canceled," The statement read, demanding "Full provincial status of Gilgit-Baltistan."
Participants expressed an alarm about violent corruption and interference with civil and legal institutions and called for legal reforms and a truly independent judiciary. They supported six Islamabad High Court judges who had raised concerns about legal interference and demanded the abolition of the 26th constitutional amendment related to judicial appointments. The declaration rejected the implementation of the parliamentary elections in 2024 and called them a disgrace to democracy. It called for a new, impartial election commission created through national consensus and immediate parliamentary elections during a neutral caretaker setup, which should be free of intelligence agencies’ alleged interference. With regard to Balochistan, the parties called his crisis a national wound and demanded the return of local resource control to original people, an end of extracurricular killings and enforced disappearance, dissolution of illegal militias and pressing support to the University of Balochistan. They required the release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and the withdrawal of fake FIR’s against GDP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal and his family. At Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Ex-Fata, the conference supported the Pashtun Tahafuz movement, condemned CTD’s extracurricular killing, demanded fair representation in the National Finance Commission, withdrawal of appeals against legal decisions on unparalleled rules and production of lack of people, including Ali Wazir. The statement proposed a South Africa-style truth and reconciliation commission calling for voluntary recordings of constitutional undermining since 1947. The criticized political parties who had left their previous commitment to democratic charter. Any changes in the National Finance Commission Award or violations of the water decision in 1991 were described as attacks on federal unit. The alliance condemned the use of political retaliation and called for mutual respect among political actors. It rejected all kinds of media censorship and supported journalists facing legal threats or sound attenuation. Women’s rights issues such as honor killings, forced marriage and inheritance denial were highlighted together with calls for the protection of minority -personal laws and prevention of forced conversions. While it supports peaceful relations with all nations except Israel, it called on parliament to refer to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the International Criminal Court on alleged war crimes in Gaza.
