Opposition alliance TTAP stages protest outside Parliament House against 27th Amendment

The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Tuesday held a protest outside Parliament House as part of its nationwide protest movement against the newly enacted 27th Amendment.

The 27th Amendment was signed into law on November 13 after passage from the parliament amid strong criticism by the opposition parties. The legislation, which has brought major structural changes to the judiciary and the military, has been assailed by the legal fraternity, even former and sitting judges, as an “attack” on judicial independence.

In a meeting on Friday, the TTAP had vowed to vigorously protest to “restore the Constitution to its original form”. Under a plan announced then, members of parties under the TTAP umbrella gathered outside Parliament House today for a protest.

Images and videos shared by the TTAP on social media platform X showed protesters holding banners that read “Death to dictatorship, long live democracy”, “27th Amendment rejected”, and “Subjugation of the judiciary is the public’s subjugation”.

They will also stage a protest walk from Parliament House to the Supreme Court against the 27th Amendment.

TTAP chair Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) chief and TTAP Vice-Chairman Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser were among the key leaders present at the protest outside the parliament.

Yesterday, PTI MPAs held a walk from the Punjab Assembly to Charing Cross on The Mall to record their protest against the passage of the 27th Amendment.

Last week, the TTAP also said a resolution would be presented in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly against the 27th Amendment.

The TTAP, formed in April last year, is a coalition of six opposition parties, including the PTI. Earlier in July, it formalised its organisational structure, declaring blanket support for all anti-government protests.