Business Recorder
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) signalled a united front on Monday against what it described as politically motivated prosecutions targeting party leadership, including jailed party founding chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan. At a strategy session convened at the residence of the opposition leader in National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai, PTI leaders outlined plans to push back against what they branded as “illegal” incarcerations, restrictions on medical treatment and systemic interference in legal processes. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi, along with senior party leaders, attended the meeting, which sources said was convened on the direct instructions of Imran Khan to devise a combative strategy against what the party described as the relentless injustices targeting PTI and its leadership. The opposition singled out Khan’s ongoing detention and the confinement of his wife, Bushra Bibi, as emblematic of a broader political vendetta. Party leaders strongly condemned the denial of timely medical attention to Khan for a severe eye condition and the tight restrictions on jail visitations, vowing to resist the “dictatorial” rule they say is prevailing in the country. The meeting also highlighted the jailing of other PTI leaders, which the party described as part of a “co-ordinated effort to silence dissent.” A detailed discussion on country’s deteriorating economic situation was another focus, with participants criticising what they labelled “flawed economic policies” under the current government. Leaders agreed on the need to fortify communications among opposition ranks and develop a cohesive strategy to defend public economic interests, particularly ahead of the upcoming federal budget. Sources privy to the meeting said the discussion focused on obstacles preventing Khan from signing legal documents and accessing justice, citing the illegal bar on jail meetings, which the party described as an attempt to sideline opposition voices. The meeting also covered provincial rights, the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, and broader political manoeuvres affecting governance across the country. Prominent opposition leaders who attended meeting included the opposition leader in Senate Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Tehreek-e-Tahaffz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), an alliance of opposition parties, vice chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, PTI legal counsel Khalid Yusuf Chaudhry, and other senior opposition leaders. The group reportedly agreed on a coordinated approach to national issues, signalling a potential escalation in parliamentary and extra-parliamentary pressure against the ruling establishment. “The party is resolved to fight for justice, protect democratic norms, and hold the government accountable for political persecution and economic mismanagement,” said a PTI leader, requesting anonymity. He said that the opposition has unequivocally resolved to mount a formidable challenge to the government during the forthcoming federal budget in the National Assembly, scheduled for the first week of June. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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