KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) central executive committee (CEC) met in Karachi under the Chairmanship of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the following: The party took immediate notice and condemned unequivocally the heinous act of terrorism that took innocent lives, including Chinese citizens, in the bomb blast in Karachi.
The party has always stood against terrorism in all forms and manifestations, and will not only make all-out efforts to bring its perpetrators to justice but also to continue to mobilize all resources against the use of such barbarism and violence by non-state actors.
All members congratulated the PPP Chairman on the party’s historic, unprecedented political victory for waging a consistent, untiring democratic struggle against the ‘selected regime’ that had been on the path to taking Pakistan and its people to the edge of an economic, financial, social and governance precipice. It was the PPP’s relentless struggle both inside and outside parliament that a constitutional path to removal of such a government was made possible.
Never before had a government had been removed through a constitutional tool such as a vote of no confidence. The party felicitated the people of Pakistan for their support in this historic endeavour.
The PPP discussed the path forward in continuing its reform agenda in parliament, in order to strengthen the federation and its democratic framework.
To this effect, the unfinished business of the Charter of Democracy was emphasised for resumption with consensus and consultation among all democratic forces. It was noted that the PPP in its last government had instituted more than 85 percent of the COD, including the 18th Constitutional Amendment, among other things.
Electoral reforms were deemed an immediate priority and will be constructively pursued with transparency in more than one phase of consultation and public input.
In a similar vein, a new Charter of Democracy 2.0, in consultation with all stakeholders and democratic political parties to strengthen democratic fundamentals and realization of public goals, the rule of law, and other reforms was recommended.
The Party also condemned the egregious misuse of power that the PTI government had unleashed in its 4 years of misrule where every constitutional institution was assaulted for narrow political gains; it observed that all public, constitutional forums were put at risk, plunged into crisis, for the sake of saving a falling edifice of the PTI’s regime, including parliament, the judiciary, the Election Commission, and the Constitution.
The Party also condemned the curbs placed on the media and the freedom of speech by a regime that had grown dependent on silencing dissent and suspending fundamental rights for privileging its own political hate speech; it vowed to restore media freedoms and bring back civility and tolerance to public discourse.
The Party also took note of how the PTI and its leader crossed a red line when it weaponized a false narrative in the domain of foreign policy, seeking to isolate Pakistan for selfish political gains instead of statecraft.
It also condemned the economic misrule of the PTI that had put Pakistan’s future on the stake, and vowed to work for a more equitable set of economic conditions for the people.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022