22 July 2004	Thursday	04 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, July 21: A PPP meeting in London on Wednesday decided to set up a special committee to galvanize support for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan through a well-defined roadmap.

According to a press release issued here, the meeting presided over by the PPP chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, was attended by former minister Amir Haider Kazmi, former provincial ministers, Maj-Gen (retired) Ahsan and Pir Mazhar, former high commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hassan, MNA Sherry Rahman, MNA Naheed Khan, Senator Safdar Abbassi and spokesperson for the PPP chairperson, Bashir Riaz.

The meeting also decided to set up two sub-committees. One of the sub-committees in London will be chaired by Mr Hassan and include Mr Mazhar, Mr Kazmi and Maj-Gen (retired) Ahsan.

The sub-committee in Pakistan will be chaired by Makhdoom Amin Fahim and include Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Sardar Latif, Raza Rabbani, Babar Awan, Khawaja Akbar, Sherry Rahman, Senator Safdar Abbassi, Naheed Khan, Farooq Naek, Naveed Qamar besides the PPP secretary-general. The committees could contact other members interested in contributing to the discussion.

The sub-committees would prepare the road map within 30 days. The central purpose of the road map is to unite parties on minimum core issues while recognising the right of parties to disagree on other issues.

The meeting noted that the political parties had a core interest in some issues like fair elections and a sovereign Parliament whereas they could disagree on other issues like the Hudood laws. It was pointed out that all stakeholders could be invited to the dialogue once the party prepared a draft paper on the matter.

The issues identified initially include code of conduct between political parties, mechanism for addressing victimisation on political grounds, fair elections, appointments in judiciary and in the military besides powers of the president and the prime minister.

The press release said a host of other issues like parliamentary accountability of defence expenditure, policy framework for intelligence agencies, resource sharing, revision of concurrent list, equal opportunities and accountability were also identified as the areas to be addressed.