Opposition alliance takes shape

Opposition parties on Friday night agreed to form a joint opposition in Parliament, with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman saying the alliance would seek to play a more effective role amid worsening law and order, growing challenges to the government's writ and "a lack of preparedness to deal with the country's crises". The announcement came after a meeting of opposition leaders at Fazlur Rehman's residence in Islamabad. National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai warned that the opposition would approach international courts if it was "forced" to do so, while PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the opposition was currently uniting inside Parliament and that the "next phase" would see the alliance take its politics to the streets. The meeting was attended by National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar and Salman Akram Raja, while JUI-F was represented by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Senator Maulana Abdul Wasay, Engineer Ziaur Rehman and other parliamentarians and leaders. Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, Fazl said the opposition had agreed to establish a joint opposition in Parliament with the objective of taking effective measures from the parliamentary platform. He said the country was facing a law and order crisis, with two provinces in a state of war and the writ of the government being challenged. He said the discussion taking place now was essentially the same as that held previously, but the situation had not improved. Opposition Leader Achakzai said saving Pakistan was the responsibility of its people. He criticised the government for presenting the country's fifth budget and said dignitaries had not been seen in Parliament. "Parliament is the source of power," he said, adding that Parliament was being turned into an arena.