Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin

The Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin, sometimes called Tehreek Tahafuz Ayin-e-Pakistan or Grand Opposition Alliance, abbreviated as TTAP^[2] (lit.Movement for the Protection of the Constitution) is a big tent, multi party political alliance of several opposition parties in Pakistan led by Pakistan's largest political party,^[3] the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Currently it consists of six parties that protest against electoral fraud in the 2024 Pakistani general elections and to oppose the Second Shehbaz Sharif government under the leadership of Mahmood Khan Achakzai.^[2][4][5][6]

The alliance was founded after the 2024 Pakistani general elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging, vote fraud, manipulation and misconduct. Primarily, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led the opposition movement and protested against alleged rigging in the elections, but soon invited many political parties to join its ranks. The PTI invited its long time close allies, the Sunni Ittehad Council led by Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen led by Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri and the Grand Democratic Alliance led by Sindh-based leadership to protest against the Shehbaz Sharif government, due to it being ‘sitting on a stolen mandate.’^[7][8]

The PTI announced an alliance with Mahmood Khan Achakzai and his Pashtunkwa Milli Awami Party to contest the validity of the election results.^[9] In Balochistan, the BNP-M led by Akhtar Mengal criticized the government for its mishandling of the elections and formed an alliance with the PTI.^[9] Furthermore, the Jamaat-e-Islami and the JUI-F reported rigging.^[10] With these several parties forming a large opposition alliance led by the PTI, on Saturday, 13 April 2024, Omar Ayub Khan announced the formation of the ‘Movement for the Protection of the Constitution’ alongside Akhtar Mengal and Mahmood Khan Achakzai.^[2] The movement was founded following several opposition meetings between parties which were mediated by Asad Qaiser, a PTI senior member.^[11]

The movement began protests against rigging all over Pakistan, primarily in Pishin, Balochistan.^[2] Mengal and the BNP-M currently lead the front in Balochistan,^[12] while the Grand Democratic Alliance and to a lesser extent, the Jamaat-e-Islami run the protests in Sindh.^[13][14]

Achakzai and Omar Ayub are the movement’s two highest leaders, leading the movement countrywide and through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, while Hamid Raza and Nasir Abbas have given the movement political support. The JUI-F has not joined the coalition, despite being invited several times by PTI senior leader, Asad Qaiser, though the JUI-F has voiced protests, though not as part of the TTAP.^[15] The alliance has heavily supported rightfully implementing the Constitution of Pakistan, as well as has accused the establishment for rigging and violating constitutional law. The GDA has also not joined the alliance officially due to unknown reasons.