An internal account of the joint opposition parliamentary party meeting, chaired by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, has revealed a careful tactical shift combining institutional pressure with an avoidance of public confrontation. The opposition aims to secure its constitutional rights within Parliament while minimizing the risk of a government crackdown outside.
A key strategic discussion focused on the protocol for meeting the PTI founder in Adiala Jail. Sources indicate that members collectively decided that no party worker would accompany the founder’s sisters or lawyers for the scheduled visit on Tuesday. This measure was adopted to deny the government any opportunity or pretext to initiate a security operation or hinder the process.
Simultaneously, the opposition agreed to escalate pressure within the National Assembly. Barrister Gohar emphasized that the most effective way to convey the opposition’s firm stance to the Speaker is through the Advisory Committee. Leaders, including Achakzai, directed that the Chief Whip must deliver all relevant documents, based on the parliamentary party’s instructions, to the Speaker’s chamber.
Members, including Nisar Jatt, were adamant that the message delivered to the Speaker must be unequivocal: the opposition must be afforded its right to speak and be treated strictly according to the Constitution. The meeting concluded with a clear mandate for institutional engagement to protest the alleged curtailment of their parliamentary privileges.
