Pakistan’s Opposition Plans Big Meeting on Balochistan’s Problems
The opposition alliance in Pakistan, known as Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), is very worried about the worsening situation in Balochistan. On Wednesday, they called for a multi-party conference (MPC) and a special parliamentary session to discuss the issue. This comes ahead of a big public meeting planned for September 8.
The meeting was chaired by Sardar Latif Khosa and included leaders from various parties, such as Omar Ayub Khan and Zain Qureshi from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Sajid Tareen from BNP-Mengal. They formed a committee led by Sahibzada Hamid Raza to organize the MPC.
PTI leader Asad Qaiser said, “An MPC in Balochistan is necessary to address the concerns of our Baloch brothers.” He mentioned that he had raised the issue in Parliament, but the government showed no interest, which led to BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal resigning from the assembly.
Qaiser also said that TTAP would organize public meetings nationwide and set a date for a major protest. Senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa criticized the government’s focus on constitutional amendments instead of addressing inflation and price hikes.
PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan announced another public meeting in Lahore on September 22, with supporters from 12 opposition parties expected to attend.
In August 2024, Pakistan saw a sharp increase in terrorist activities, with 59 attacks reported, up from 38 in July. These attacks resulted in 84 deaths and 166 injuries, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was responsible for many of these attacks, causing widespread casualties and heightened tensions in the province.
Doubts Revealed
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, located next to India. It has a rich history and diverse culture.
Opposition -: In politics, the opposition is a group of people or parties that are not in power and often challenge the decisions of the ruling government.
Balochistan -: Balochistan is a province in Pakistan. It is known for its natural resources but also faces many social and economic problems.
Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP) -: TTAP is a political alliance in Pakistan. The name means ‘Movement for the Protection of the Constitution of Pakistan’.
Multi-party conference (MPC) -: An MPC is a meeting where leaders from different political parties come together to discuss important issues.
Parliamentary session -: A parliamentary session is a period during which members of parliament meet to discuss and make laws.
Sardar Latif Khosa -: Sardar Latif Khosa is a politician in Pakistan. He is known for his leadership and involvement in political matters.
PTI -: PTI stands for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is a major political party in Pakistan.
Asad Qaiser -: Asad Qaiser is a leader of the PTI party in Pakistan. He has held important positions in the government.
Nationwide protests -: Nationwide protests are large gatherings of people across the country who come together to show their disagreement with something.