Opposition Alliance TTAP to Convene All-Parties Conference on National Security After Eid

ISLAMABAD: After skipping the high-level in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the multi-party opposition alliance, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), has announced plans to convene an all-parties conference (APC) after Eidul Fitr to address the country’s security and political situation.

The decision was made during a leadership meeting held at the residence of TTAP’s head, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, with key opposition figures in attendance, including Allama Raja Nasir Abbas of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, National Assembly and Senate opposition leaders Umar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Sunni Ittehad Council head Hamid Raza, BNP senior vice president Sajid Tareen, and Sindh United Party president Sain Zain Shah.

During the meeting, the structural framework of TTAP was formally approved, and several subcommittees were established. PTI’s Asad Qaiser was appointed to lead the coordination committee, while SIC’s Hamid Raza was entrusted with overseeing organizational affairs and political activities. Additionally, PTI‘s Latif Khosa was given the responsibility of organizing the post-Eid APC on national security and political stability.

The opposition alliance expressed deep concern over the political and security situation in the country, especially in Balochistan. BNP’s Sajid Tareen briefed the leaders on the growing gap between the Baloch people and the state, and TTAP approved various proposals to address these concerns. The APC will invite all political parties, except those in the government, to discuss the security situation, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

TTAP leaders stressed that a sustainable solution to terrorism in both provinces could not be achieved through force alone and vowed to oppose any injustices against Sindh, particularly regarding the distribution of Indus River water. The alliance also reiterated its decision to boycott the Parliamentary National Security Committee, criticizing the government’s exclusion of PTI founder Imran Khan from the discussions.

In terms of regional diplomacy, TTAP highlighted the need for dialogue to resolve tensions with Afghanistan, emphasizing the importance of stable Pakistan-Afghanistan relations for trade and access to Central Asian markets.

This announcement comes a day after a high-level National Assembly security meeting convened by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, where a decision was made to deal with terrorist groups with an “iron hand.” However, several key figures, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, NA Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, and PTI members, did not attend the session.

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The high-level meeting took place amid rising terrorism in Pakistan, including a terrorist attack on a passenger train in Balochistan’s Mushqaf area. Militants from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeted the Jaffar Express, taking over 440 passengers hostage. Security forces neutralized 33 attackers and rescued the hostages, though 26 passengers, including security personnel, were martyred in the attack.