ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Tuesday agreed to a 12-point “Charter of Pakistan” as the main objective of the opposition alliance to cope with the daunting economic challenges, empowerment of the provinces by protecting the 18th constitutional amendment, and “ending role of establishment and intelligence agencies from politics”.
The “Charter of Pakistan” was agreed to in the PDM’s summit chaired by its president and chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, which was attended by the leadership of all opposition parties in the alliance.
The meeting was attended by PDM Secretary-General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Maryam Nawaz, Sherry Rehman, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Mohsin Dawar, Shah Owais Noorani, and others leaders.
Former premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prof Sajid Mir participated through video links, according to a statement issued by the PDM after the meeting.
But in a tweet, Maryam Nawaz stated that Nawaz Sharif could not participate in the PDM meeting because of severe kidney pain that he is being treated for “therefore I am representing him”.
The 12-point charter, which was shared through a joint news conference by Maulana Fazlur Rehman along with other leaders of the opposition parties included: (1) ensuring supremacy and enforcement of the federal, Islamic, democratic and parliamentary Constitution of Pakistan, (2) Autonomy of the Parliament, (3) “Ending role of establishment and intelligence agencies from politics”, (4) Establishment of an independent judiciary, (5) Reforms for holding free, independent, and fair elections, (6) Protection of basic human and democratic rights of the people, (7) Protection of the rights of the provinces and the 18th constitutional amendment, (8) Effective local government system, (9) Protection of freedom of expression and media, (10) Elimination of extremism and terrorism and the implementation of the National Action Plan, (11) Emergency economic plan to cope with rising inflation, unemployment, and for poverty alleviation, and (12) Protection and implementation of the Islamic provisions of the Constitution.
“With the agreement on these very points, we fulfilled the promise made with the people by preparing the ground rules and objectives of the movement,” the maulana said.
In response to a question, he ruled out any possibility of holding talks either with the government or the security establishment, saying, “We understand that movements were launched in the past too as a result of which the power corridors had finally accepted their demands.”
“There will be no talks with the government, as they are not the real representatives of the people,” he added.
Giving details of the decisions made during the meeting, the maulana said that the PDM rejected Gilgit-Baltistan election results outright, calling it a new “masterpiece of political engineering”.
“Gilgit-Baltistan election was the replay of the “drama” of the 2018 general elections,” he said, adding that the people of Pakistan had been deprived of the right to free, fair, and impartial elections.
He said the meeting noted that the use of unjust state machinery and institutions in the G-B elections was in contrast to the Supreme Court’s decision of conducting a free and fair election.
“The “fake” elections in Gilgit-Baltistan have vindicated the narrative of the PDM,” he said, adding that the PDM’s protest movement would continue till the “selected” government was sent home.
He said the PDM also strongly condemned the “fabricated” cases and the policy of “avenge” against opposition leaders through the FIA and anti-corruption agencies, adding that the movement would further speed up.
He said the PDM also rejected the ban on its rallies on the “pretext” of the coronavirus pandemic, saying that the PDM’s upcoming rallies would take place as per the schedule.
He said the meeting also expressed concern over the delay in foreign funding case, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party continued to be protected under government auspices.
The meeting demanded that foreign funding case should be decided immediately.
He said the meeting strongly condemned “benefiting” sugar mafia of Rs400 billion by the prime minister and the reported removal of the officers who unearthed the corrupt elements.
The Maulana said that former FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi’s “revelations” were a “charge sheet” against the prime minister, adding that Zaidi had stated that “whenever tax evaders were identified and asked to take action, the premier stopped the actions, saying they give donations”.
He said the PDM also strongly condemned the rising inflation in the country, adding that the “storm” of inflation was the result of failed economic policies.
He said Imran Khan’s government lacked the capacity to run the economy.
He said the PDM’s struggle would continue till “restoration” of the supremacy of Constitution and rule of law, and the ultimate formation of “people’s elected” government.
He said the meeting also condemned the government’s diplomatic “failures” on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, adding that parliamentary resolution on Kashmir should be implemented.
A five-member committee comprising Ahsan Iqbal, Khurram Dastgir, Sherry Rehman, Raza Rabbani, and Kamran Murtaza, was also formed to prepare the final draft of the “charter of Pakistan”.
It was decided that the PDM leadership will sign the final draft of the “Charter of Pakistan” in its Lahore rally on December 13, and it will be prepared in the light of the PDM’s September 20th declaration of the APC.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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