'A good start': PPP, opposition agree to maintain contact, cooperate on legislative matters in parliament

'A good start': PPP, opposition agree to maintain contact, cooperate on legislative matters in parliament.

Key points

• PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Tehreek-I-Tahaffuz Ayeen-I-Pakistan (TTAP) Secretary General Asad Qaiser, Vice Chairman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and PTI's Aamir Dogar were additionally present at the gathering.
• PPP leaders Raja Pervez Ashraf, Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Nadeem Afzal Chan accompanied Bilawal.
• Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, a senior PTI leader had remarked that it seemed the PPP was trying to "raise its value" through such moves.
• On being asked regarding the possibility of the 28th Constitutional Amendment, the PPP chairman stated there had been no discussions between the PPP and PML-N on the matter.
• On Tuesday, it emerged that the PPP had reached out to the opposition alliance to seek its cooperation and was projected to call on Achakzai today.

'A good start': PPP, opposition agree to maintain contact, cooperate on legislative matters in parliament. Amir Wasim Published August 19, 2026 Updated August 19, 2026 06: 30pm. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

ISLAMABAD: In a significant move, PPP, a major ruling coalition partner, and the opposition PTI on Wednesday agreed to maintain contact and cooperate on legislative matters in the parliament.

In practice, the agreement was reached when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas at the Parliament House in the NA opposition leader's chamber, PPP remarked in a post on X.

For context, the session discussed parliamentary affairs and the country's political situation. Bilawal asked the opposition leaders to join parliamentary committees and play an active role, according to the statement.

Notably, the opposition leaders remarked they would decide after consulting the PTI chairman, it went on.

Notably, the PPP and opposition leaders agreed to growth contact regarding legislation in parliament. Bilawal pressed the opposition leaders to play their role in parliament in connection with electoral reforms to ensure transparency in elections.

Referring to the transfer of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan to the hospital and his treatment after the Supreme Court's decision, Bilawal welcomed the development, saying that it was a democratic tradition.

Speaking to the media afterwards in the day, Bilawal termed the gathering a "good start" and noted that his party wanted the House to be functional and that the parliamentarians should play their role as mandated by the public.

"If we want our parliament to be functional and its institutions or dignitaries to work, then the opposition should review their decision of boycotting the parliamentary process, " he remarked.

He remarked that he discussed reviewing the opposition's decision to boycott the parliamentary process in the gathering.

"Whether you are sitting on opposition benches or treasury benches, everyone complains about the electoral process; then it is our responsibility to make reforms in our electoral process, " the PPP chairman remarked.

For this single-point agenda, Bilawal remarked that the opposition should play its role so that a plan may be formulated for reforms in the electoral process through mutual consensus. "When a party wins elections, it celebrates, and when a party loses elections, it complains; we don't want this."

According to The PPP chairman further, a "communication gap" between his party and the opposition had been lessened after today's session and the two sides had initiated discussions on a number of problems, particularly the "low-hanging fruits" such as electoral reforms.

Regarding the creation of new provinces, the PPP chairman remarked that his party would stand by the public's decision. "The PPP will stand with the public's opinion, and whatever decision is taken with mutual understanding, the party will backing it. We will never accept anything by force, " he stated.

Sources informed Dawn that the agenda for the cooperation is to work together to strengthen the parliament and parliament's committees.

Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, a senior PTI leader had remarked that it seemed the PPP was trying to "raise its value" through such moves. Nevertheless, "we will support any party that talks about free and fair elections and stopping rigging through Form 47s", the leader stated.

Insiders suggest that while the PPP cannot afford to formally exit the coalition administration at the Centre, it could provide the administration a tough time to show its displeasure over the outcome of the AJK elections.

Over the past couple of weeks, a number of PPP leaders – including the party chief – had accused the ruling party of 'rigging' and manipulating election results.

For now, ' A good start' : PPP, opposition agree to maintain contact, cooperate on legislative remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.