PML-N, PPP, MMA to form opposition alliance

 Islamabad [Pakistan]: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Majlis Amal (MMA) have agreed to form a 'solid' alliance in the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies.

According to the Express Tribune, the MMA was on Monday swayed by the PML-N and the PPP into an agreement to not boycott the assemblies and to protest against the alleged wrongdoings during the July 25 General Elections in a constitutional manner.

A meeting between senior leaders of the PML-N, PPP, MMA and the Awami National Party (ANP), chaired by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, discussed the political developments since the MMA decided to boycott the parliament and provincial assemblies.

According to sources, the leaders of the PML-N, PPP and the ANP agreed to cooperate in the national and provincial assemblies to form a 'solid' opposition.

Three former Pakistani Prime Ministers, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, Awami National Party's Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, MMA chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other top leaders were part of the meet.

Fazal was reportedly told that none of the opposition parties were going to side with him in the boycott of the parliament and provincial assemblies, and with the Jamaat-e-Islami, a part of the MMA, deciding that its lawmakers would take the oath of office, Fazal was effectively left alone.

"Fazl has probably realised that he was going to take a solo flight on the boycott question that could lead him to isolation. "So, he decided to mend his ways for good," a PML-N source told the Express Tribune.

Both, the PML-N and the PPP have come to the conclusion that their protests in the parliament and the provincial assemblies will not "bypass the democratic and constitutional norms," insiders close to the developments say, with both parties wanting to cooperate to be able to put up a fierce opposition to the PTI and its allies.

Several political outfits and organisation based in Pakistan are accusing the military of rigging elections and falsely making Imran Khan's political outfit Pakistan Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) the winner.

The PTI emerged as the single largest party with 115 seats after the Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday released the complete preliminary results for 270 of 272 National Assembly constituencies.