ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) has suspended negotiations with the federal government, demanding a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and access to information about his health before any dialogue can resume.
The opposition alliance announced the decision on Thursday after a leadership meeting chaired by its head, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, at his residence. The meeting reviewed the political situation following the imposition of emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a statement, TTAP said Achakzai would hold exclusive authority to negotiate with the government on behalf of the alliance. It maintained that no talks would take place until its demands concerning Imran Khan’s access and medical information were addressed.
The alliance strongly criticised the federal government’s decision to impose emergency measures and governor’s rule in KP, describing the move as an attack on the Constitution and the public mandate. It demanded the immediate withdrawal of the decision and said it would challenge the measures in the Peshawar High Court.
TTAP argued that the action against the provincial government affected not only the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also the democratic rights of citizens across the country.
The alliance also called for the release of former KP chief minister Sohail Afridi, provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar and other party leaders and lawmakers who were reportedly detained following the federal government’s intervention.
It further demanded the release of Imran Khan’s sisters, who have been held under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, and called for the PTI founder to be allowed to meet his family and doctors.
On security matters, TTAP condemned terrorism in all its forms, including attacks against civilians, sectarian violence and what it described as the use of state power against political opponents. The alliance expressed support for the National Action Plan but called for the implementation of a joint resolution adopted by a peace gathering and approved by the KP Assembly instead of introducing new policies.
The opposition alliance also criticised the handling of the security situation in Balochistan, blaming what it described as ineffective federal policies and a provincial government that did not adequately represent the public mandate. It called for political dialogue with the province’s people rather than the use of force.
TTAP announced that it would approach international human rights organisations and the United Nations over its concerns regarding judicial independence, media restrictions and alleged violations of constitutional and human rights.
The development comes amid escalating tensions between the federal government and PTI following the Centre’s decision to impose an emergency under Article 232 and governor’s rule under Article 234 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The federal government has defended the measures on security grounds, alleging that the provincial administration failed to cooperate adequately in the fight against terrorism. It has also authorised the deployment of Pakistan Army personnel and resources in aid of civil authorities in the province.
The move followed a breakdown in negotiations between the government and PTI earlier this month. The two sides have disagreed over counterterrorism policy, political restrictions and the role of the provincial government in security decisions.
PTI has argued that it was being excluded from decisions affecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and has called for a review of the government’s counterterrorism approach. The federal government, meanwhile, has criticised the provincial administration’s handling of militancy and its position on engagement with the Afghan Taliban.
With TTAP now making access to Imran Khan and information about his health preconditions for renewed negotiations, prospects for an immediate political breakthrough appear uncertain.
