- Achakzai calls on every ‘conscious citizen to raise voice in defence of parliamentary sovereignty and rule of law
- Stresses all political forces must rise above party interests, power-sharing calculations and political affiliations to formulate a consensus course of action
- Calls for clarity on negotiations with govt, stating any talks must specify ‘who will participate, on which issues, and under what conditions’
- Gohar condemns Toshakhana-II verdict as unconstitutional, saying martial law imposed and judiciary made irrelevant
- Regrets PTI leadership faces sentences totaling 70 years across multiple cases, potentially increasing cumulative punishment to 140 years
- Describes multiple convictions in a single case as unprecedented in Pakistan’s history and ‘beyond law and the Constitution’
ISLAMABAD: Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and head of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), on Saturday warned that Pakistan’s Constitution and laws “have been torn to shreds,” calling on every conscious citizen to raise their voice in defence of parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law.
Achakzai made these remarks while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day national conference titled “Protection of the Consensus Constitution: The Need of the Hour and a Way Forward through Collective Wisdom,” organized by TTAP—an alliance of opposition parties.
The veteran politician said that hopes of establishing constitutional supremacy in the country were fading and stressed that all political forces must rise above temporary party interests, power-sharing calculations, and political affiliations to formulate a consensus course of action.
The conference was convened following remarks by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who criticised PTI chairman Imran Khan for allegedly creating and spreading “anti-army” rhetoric, describing it as a “national security threat.”
Achakzai questioned the role of the military in Pakistan, asking, “Is this country meant for the military, or is the military meant for the country? If the military is subordinate to the country, then what is the justification for constitutional exemptions?”
The first day of the conference saw participation from prominent political figures, including PTI leaders Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser, BNP chief Akhtar Mengal, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Javed Hashmi, Mohsin Dawar, Afrasiab Khattak, Safdar Abbasi, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Syed Zain Shah, as well as journalists, lawyers, and civil society representatives.
He called for clarity on negotiations with the government, stating that any talks must specify who will participate, on which issues, and under what conditions. “The first prerequisite for paving the way for negotiations is the immediate lifting of restrictions on meetings with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan by his family, lawyers, and political leaders,” Achakzai said.
”مجھے بار بار کئی لوگوں کے مذاکرات کیلئے پیغامات ملتے ہیں۔ بالکل ہم جمہوری مذاکرات کیلئے تیار ہیں۔ لیکن مذاکرات کی الف یہ ہو گی کہ عمران خان سے ملاقات کروائی جائے۔“ محمود اچکزئی کا قومی کانفرنس سے خطاب pic.twitter.com/k9iLiTkTEN
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 20, 2025
He condemned restrictions on meetings with Khan despite court orders and alleged that individuals attempting to meet him face state violence and legal cases, describing the situation as “outright injustice.”
Achakzai further said that no army can achieve real victory without public support, urging political parties, civil society, and diverse schools of thought to contribute suggestions to help the country emerge from its current deadlock.
‘Martial law has been imposed’
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, speaking at the conference, claimed that a “martial law has been imposed in the country.” He said, “When courts cannot do justice, judges cannot protect themselves in court, and civilians cannot protect themselves before judges in open court, the judiciary becomes irrelevant.”
چئیرمین پاکستان تحریک انصاف بیرسٹر گوہر کا تحریک تخفظ آئین پاکستان کی جانب سے منعقدہ قومی کانفرنس میں اظہار خیال pic.twitter.com/Cro5IS0f21
— Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) December 20, 2025
Referring to the Toshakhana-II verdict, in which Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years each, Gohar said the nation was grieving. “We were hoping that after May 2025, justice would prevail. We tolerated everything, did not resort to sit-ins or take the law into our hands, and kept hope alive,” he said.
”جس قسم کا ڈی جی آئی ایس پی آر ہماری مسلح افواج پر مسلط کیا گیا ہے، وہ شرمناک ہے۔ یہ ٹھگوں کی حکومت ہے، جس کے پیچھے طاقت کا بے دریغ استعمال کرنے والا شخص فیلڈ مارشل عاصم منیر ہے۔پاکستان کی مسلح افواج نے ہمیشہ بھارت کی جارحیت کا بھرپور جواب دیا، مگر حالیہ کارروائی مکمل طور پر ایئر… pic.twitter.com/JYjhc4Sreb
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 20, 2025
Gohar warned that the PTI leadership faces sentences totaling 70 years across multiple cases, with additional verdicts pending, potentially increasing the cumulative punishment to 140 years. He described the multiple convictions in a single case as unprecedented in Pakistan’s history and “beyond the law and the Constitution.”
“We were expecting 2026 to bring hope, but some people continue to block the path for the masses. When leaders fail, the masses will find their way on their own,” he said.
Islamabad – Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were today handed fresh sentences in the Toshakhana (gift) case, in a verdict that has raised serious concerns regarding due process, judicial independence, and fundamental human rights in Pakistan.
At a… pic.twitter.com/xpPCvwiEeR— PTI Punjab (@PTIPunjabPK) December 20, 2025
