TTAP for dismantling of ‘hybrid power structure'
With the district administration sealing the initially announced venue, TTAP participants shifted gears and held the APC at the residence of Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
The gathering, a melting pot of opposition leaders, civil society members, lawyers, journalists, and activists from all walks of life, unanimously condemned the ongoing wave of convictions against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers. The alliance slammed the anti-terrorism courts' rulings as 'politically motivated vendettas' and 'flimsy legal pretences.'
As news broke mid-moot of fresh sentences handed to opposition leaders in both the National Assembly and Senate, the mood turned grim. Participants said this would go down as one of Pakistan's darkest political chapters.
'There is no law left in the country. Injustice reigns,' thundered Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen, capturing the gathering's fury.
Hamid Raza of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), recently convicted himself, remarked bitterly, 'Our fight against terrorism and extremism has been rewarded with a decade-long jail sentence.'
Veteran nationalist Mahmood Khan Achakzai didn't mince words either, warning of a 'creeping civilian dictatorship' masquerading as democracy.
'During military martial law, courts had courage. Today, under a civilian façade, shameful rulings dominate,' he said to nods of grim agreement.
Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser slammed the court verdicts as 'illegal' and linked them to the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he said strips political workers of their fundamental rights.
Echoing this sentiment, Lashkari Raisani called for a moment of reckoning: 'Will we continue to be spectators in a dummy parliament, or confront this crisis head-on beyond its walls.'
The spotlight was not only on current abuses. Veteran journalist Hamid Mir invoked the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PICA), enacted by the PML-N government.
Originally framed to combat fake news, Mir explained how the law morphed into a tool to muzzle media, even those who passed it.
Political dissident Javed Hashmi condemned the denial of PTI's electoral symbol in recent polls, emphasizing, 'Even without a symbol, people voted for Imran Khan. Now they want to keep him in jail as a spectacle.'
'Back when Imran Khan was in power, opposition rallies were held without fear or formalities,' recalled former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair. 'We never asked for permission, and the police never blocked our path. Look at us now – this is not democracy, it is a lockdown.'
Despite their ideological differences, the APC vowed to unite in restoring democratic norms, pushing for judicial independence, and ending selective, politically motivated accountability.
'Authoritarianism must die. Democracy will live,' declared Achakzai to rousing applause.
The conference closed with a resolute call to uphold the rule of law, enforce the supremacy of the Constitution, and dismantle the 'ongoing de facto martial law' suffocating the country's democratic fabric.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Imran's son's visa case takes new turn
Imran Khan's sister Aleema Khanum said on Friday that the former prime minister's sons had applied for Pakistani visas and were awaiting clearance from the interior ministry ahead of a planned visit. Taking to X, Aleema stated: "A few days ago, Suleiman [Khan] and Kasim [Khan] applied for their visas with the Pakistan High Commission in London. The ambassador has intimated that he is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad". However, the Ministry of Interior refuted Aleema's claims regarding visa applications for Imran's sons, saying that no such requests were under consideration by the ministry. According to sources in the interior ministry, no visa applications pertaining to Imran Khan's sons were currently being processed or reviewed by the ministry. They clarified that the issuance of family visas – or any type of visa, for that matter – does not fall under the purview of the interior ministry. "The assertion that the visa matter is being dealt with by the Ministry of Interior is contrary to the facts," a source told The Express Tribune. The official added that such visas come under the jurisdiction of Pakistan's high commissions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her remarks also prompted a pointed response from Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, who took issue with her previous claim that the siblings already possessed National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicop). He questioned the need for a visa if they were, in fact, Pakistani nationals. "If they do need visas, that means they are not 'Pakistani nationals'. What is the real truth behind it all?" he asked. It is pertinent to note that Aleema had earlier insisted that Imran Khan's sons were "citizens of Pakistan" and would "definitely" come to visit him in prison, citing their Nicop status. "If anything were to happen to Imran's sons, it would become an international matter," she had told reporters previously. Earlier this week, the PTI had categorically denied media reports suggesting that the incarcerated party founder had told reporters in Adiala Jail that his sons would neither come to Pakistan nor take part in any protests. While the government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, Chaudhry had earlier questioned what political role, if any, the two sons could assume. Nevertheless, he maintained they were welcome to visit and assured there would be no impediment to their entry. "Visas would be issued to them in less than 24 hours," he said, "provided they stayed within the law".
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Curriculum reforms urged
Minority MPA Mahesh Kumar Malani, in a separate call-attention notice, objected to the ethics subject being exclusively assigned to non-Muslim students. "Ethics should be part of the curriculum for all students," he argued. "Non-Muslim students, including Christians, do not object to learning Islamiat, so why single them out?" He also demanded a separate educational board for the Christian community. In reply, Education Minister Sardar Shah stated that the current policy stems from the PTI government's Single National Curriculum, which the Sindh government had opposed. "Muslim students are taught Islamiat, and non-Muslims are taught Ethics. We reviewed the curriculum in 2022 and agree that further improvements are necessary," he said. He added that curriculum changes are a continual process globally, and since Hinduism originated in Sindh, the majority of non-Muslim students are Hindu. Responding to another call-attention notice from MQM MPA Najam Mirza regarding the Sindh Electronic Centralized College Admission Program (SECAP), Education Minister Sardar Shah said the policy has now been extended to the entire province. "Admissions are computerized and automatic, with no human interference," he clarified. He explained that priority is given to students with A-1 and A grades, particularly in high-demand colleges such as PECHS. "Previously, recommendations played a role in admissions, but that is no longer the case. People now request admissions in specific colleges, but not everyone can be accommodated," he said.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
ATC sentences PTI worker to life, orders forfeiture of property
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Sargodha on Wednesday sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ismael Khan to life imprisonment and ordered the forfeiture of his entire property to the state in connection with a May 9 violence case registered by the City Mianwali police. This marks the third instance in which an ATC has handed down a sentence involving the full confiscation of a convict's property under Section 7(2) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The provision allows the state to seize assets of individuals convicted under terrorism charges. The case against Khan is part of a wider judicial crackdown on PTI leaders and workers following violent protests that erupted after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in May 2023. ATCs across Punjab have since registered multiple cases against hundreds of PTI members, including party leadership. The ATC in Faisalabad earlier drew national attention for sentencing 108 PTI leaders and supporters — the largest number in a single ruling — while none of the accused were present in court at the time of sentencing. In that case as well, the court ordered the forfeiture of property of 91 convicts. A similar forfeiture of assets for 29 convicts had already been passed by the Sargodha ATC. In contrast, two earlier ATC decisions were delivered in the presence of the accused, with at least one arrest made in court by ATC Lahore. However, the mass absence of accused persons in the Faisalabad case has prompted speculation of a silent boycott by PTI. Party leaders have consistently criticized what they allege are flawed and politically motivated proceedings, lacking due process. Defense counsels in the Faisalabad case raised numerous objections during trial. They questioned the reliability of key prosecution witnesses who claimed to have observed "conspiratorial meetings" held at Rose Hotel Chakri and Zaman Park Lahore, attended by PTI leaders. They argued that the presence of witnesses at these meetings was dubious, given the tight police deployment and identity verification at such locations. Inspector Asmat Kamal, a prosecution witness, reportedly admitted to knowing the local PTI leadership before the alleged meeting, casting doubt on his neutrality. He also failed to provide any official record of his presence at the Chakri police station. Witnesses regarding the Zaman Park meeting similarly acknowledged the high-security environment around Imran Khan's residence, suggesting their access to such a meeting was implausible. The defense also raised procedural concerns regarding the identification parades of the accused, stating that legal principles laid down by superior courts — such as proper selection of dummies in terms of age, height, and appearance — were not observed. They argued this rendered the identification process unreliable. Furthermore, the defense alleged that arrests were staged. Many of the accused, according to them, were picked up from homes or workplaces and falsely shown as being arrested on the scene of violence. They also contested the legitimacy of recoveries presented by prosecution witnesses, calling them planted. Despite these objections, the court sentenced 108 individuals to prison terms of up to 10 years each in the May 9-related cases, while 77 accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Political analysts view these verdicts — particularly those involving mass convictions and property seizures — as unprecedented in Pakistan's legal landscape and potentially transformative in how the state handles cases involving political violence.
