All Opposition Parties Announce Boycott of APC in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PESHAWAR – All major opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have unanimously decided to boycott the All Parties Conference (APC) scheduled for tomorrow, calling it a meaningless exercise by the provincial government.
Leader of the Opposition in the KP Assembly, Dr. Ibadullah Khan, confirmed the joint decision and criticized the provincial government for its unserious attitude. “The time for statements is over. We need real action now. This APC is just a showpiece,” he said.
Dr. Ibadullah emphasized that opposition parties are united and will not compromise on public interests. He urged the government to demonstrate seriousness through action, not just words. He further hinted that the opposition bloc has a practical roadmap and key decisions will follow soon.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan confirmed their non-participation in the conference. Following suit, the Awami National Party (ANP) also rejected the APC invitation.
ANP’s provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain stated that his party would have considered participation if the APC was convened by PTI as a political entity. “We will not participate in a government-organized APC. We stand by the people and won’t support moves against their will,” he said.
Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also refused to attend the APC. PPP KP president Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha labeled the event as a “formality” and accused the government of lacking seriousness.
“If the government was truly concerned, previous discussions on law and order would have produced tangible results. Instead of wasting time on protests and sit-ins, they should focus on resolving public issues,” Bacha added.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed confusion over the opposition’s boycott and defended the need for the APC. Speaking to the media in Peshawar, he said, “Law and order affects us all. The opposition shouldn’t politicize everything.”
He also criticized certain elements over the alleged manipulation of Senate candidate lists and said, “Only those with integrity can apologize. Misdeeds need to be acknowledged.”