PTI, JUI-F Move Towards Joint Opposition Ahead of Sept 27 Protest
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has intensified efforts to bring opposition parties onto a common platform ahead of its planned September 27 nationwide protest, with PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) agreeing in principle to coordinate as a joint opposition in parliament.
A PTI delegation led by Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and including former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence on Friday. The two sides discussed the September 27 protest, plans for an all-parties conference and the formation of a joint opposition.
Speaking after the meeting, Gohar said PTI and JUI-F had agreed in principle on a joint opposition in both the National Assembly and Senate. He said political parties would be taken into confidence on major national issues.
The discussions represent an important step in PTI’s attempt to transform the September 27 mobilisation into a broader opposition campaign rather than a protest involving only its own supporters.
PTI Invites JUI-F to September 27 March
Gohar has invited Fazlur Rehman and other opposition parties to participate in the planned protest, which PTI says will remain peaceful. The party has linked the mobilisation to demands for justice, constitutional rights and fresh elections.
PTI has separately described the mobilisation as a “Justice March”, calling for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and an independent judiciary and Election Commission.
However, the available reporting does not establish that JUI-F has formally committed to participating in the September 27 march. What has been confirmed is an agreement in principle to coordinate as a joint parliamentary opposition and continue consultations.
Opposition Plans All-Parties Conference
The two sides also discussed holding an all-parties conference (APC) covering several major national issues.
Gohar said discussions could include the proposed creation of new provinces, Pakistan’s political and economic situation, inflation, law and order and issues concerning prisoners.
JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri welcomed the consultations and said the proposed APC would also discuss Balochistan, terrorism and other challenges confronting the country.
According to the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), the meeting also covered strengthening Pakistan’s constitutional and democratic systems and cooperation among political parties over constitutional supremacy and the rule of law.
Opposition leaders have agreed to hold another meeting on September 15 to review progress towards the APC and broader coordination.
Sept 27 Protest Faces Legal Challenge
Meanwhile, PTI’s protest plans are facing scrutiny in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
A petition has challenged the September 27 mobilisation, arguing that it could disrupt normal life, traffic and business activity in Islamabad. The IHC has directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and inspector general of police to submit affidavits concerning the use of government machinery for the march.
PTI has repeatedly maintained that its protest will be peaceful. Gohar has also said the party will not use government resources for the mobilisation.
The developing opposition coordination is politically significant because closer cooperation between PTI, JUI-F and other parties could increase parliamentary pressure on the government while potentially expanding the scale of the September 27 mobilisation.
For now, however, the emerging alliance remains a developing political arrangement, with further consultations needed before the extent of JUI-F and other opposition parties’ participation in the protest
