Opposition weighs moot on new provinces, key issues

Opposition parties are holding consultations to convene an all-parties conference to discuss major national issues, including the proposed creation of new provinces, deteriorating law and order, economic challenges and rising inflation.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced the development on Friday after a meeting between a PTI delegation and leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Gohar said the opposition had agreed that political parties should be taken into confidence on important national matters. He identified law and order, the economy, inflation, rising lawlessness and the issue of creating new provinces as matters requiring broader political consultation.

He described the meeting with JUI-F as a positive development and expressed hope that consultations among political parties would continue.

The meeting also focused on plans for the proposed all-parties conference and PTI’s September 27 protest call. The participants discussed strengthening Pakistan’s constitutional and democratic institutions and stressed the importance of political cooperation to protect the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Hussain also held discussions with PTI leaders, including Gohar, regarding the proposed conference.

According to the opposition leaders, it was agreed that efforts would be accelerated to convene the all-parties moot at the earliest. A meeting has also been scheduled for September 15 to review progress and determine the next steps.

The opposition leaders are expected to contact other political parties as part of efforts to build consensus and bring them to the proposed conference.

The September 27 PTI protest and the broader opposition strategy also came under discussion during the consultations.

The development follows an earlier agreement between the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) opposition alliance and JUI-F to work towards a united opposition platform. The two sides had discussed greater coordination among opposition parties and the formulation of a joint political strategy.

The proposal for an all-parties conference has gained further significance following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent call for dialogue among political parties on governance reforms, the creation of new provinces and urgent administrative changes.

The issue of creating additional provinces has generated renewed political debate, with various parties and political figures putting forward different proposals.