A declaration issued by the All Parties Conference (APC) convened under the banner of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) has called for matters agreed between Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Gen Syed Asim Munir and Donald Trump to be brought before the parliament.
According to details, the opposition alliance has rejected the results of the 2024 general elections and called for the repeal of the 26th constitutional amendment. The APC has demanded the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The declaration was read aloud by Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who stated that the conference engaged in democratic consultation and that all political parties present expressed concerns about the systematic weakening of the opposition.
The statement condemned the cancellation of hotel bookings arranged for the conference by the administration and expressed serious reservations regarding the state of the national economy. According to the APC, 45 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line, unemployment has reached 22 per cent, and youth unemployment stands at 30 per cent.
The conference called for the immediate hearing of legal cases concerning the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and his spouse, condemning their continued detention. It further described the previous day as a dark chapter in the nation’s history, citing the sentencing of opposition leaders.
The APC emphasised the need for a new Charter of Democracy and urged national consensus through dialogue among political forces. It underscored the importance of judicial independence and the establishment of a neutral election commission. The declaration also called for the restoration of rights to the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The forum opposed the formation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), describing it as contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, and demanded its dissolution. It also rejected the leasing of 4.8 million acres of land under the Green Initiative Scheme, calling for the cancellation of the lease.
The APC urged greater focus on national security and stated that judicial independence had become merely symbolic following the 26th Amendment. The opposition reiterated its rejection of the 2024 election results and rejected legislation concerning the exploitation of Balochistan's resources, asserting that local inhabitants must be given primary rights. It demanded the production of missing persons before courts and the release of Mah Rang Baloch.
The declaration called for the release of all political prisoners, the lifting of restrictions on pilgrims during the Chehlum of Imam Hussain, and the restoration of old routes at the border. It demanded the restoration of Balochistan University and financial autonomy for the institution. The APC condemned legal action against Akhtar Jan Mengal and his family and demanded the restoration of peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The demands of protestors in Bajaur, Khyber, Waziristan and Mohmand were also endorsed.
According to the APC, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be granted its 19 per cent share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award following the FATA merger. The declaration noted a weakening link between the state and its citizens, asserting that the truth must be presented to the public without favour or concealment. All individuals, it stated, must accept responsibility for their actions.
The APC opposed any attempts to amend the NFC formula and called for the implementation of the 1991 water-sharing agreement. It further demanded the suspension and eventual cancellation of the Green Initiative Agreement.
Reforms to make Senate elections direct were proposed, alongside equalising the powers of the Senate with those of the National Assembly. The declaration called for provincial status and increased autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan. It reaffirmed that political dissent is essential to democracy and objected to politically motivated cases. The conference rejected censorship measures under laws such as PECA and asserted that restrictions on press freedom were unacceptable.
The APC condemned honour killings and crimes committed under the pretext of ‘karo-kari’ and demanded state intervention. It pledged support for minority communities and opposed forced religious conversions.
It also strongly condemned the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by Israel and called upon the government to raise the matter in the United Nations Security Council. The declaration urged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be declared an international criminal and rejected any attempts to recognise Israel.
