LAHORE: The Barabri Party Pakistan promised to represent the ‘actual 90 per cent’ of population in the upcoming elections and resolved to contest polls against the biggest three parties — PML-N, PPP and PTI.

Singer-turned-politician Jawad Ahmed, chairman of the party, said this at the Lahore Press Club on Thursday as he spoke to journalists for the first time.

“The middle class and working class is hardly represented in Pakistan’s assemblies; in fact the elite are the only people who tend to remain on top,” said Ahmed.

“This have been happening for the past 70 years, that all kinds of mafia, feudal, capitalists and pirs have been ruling the country. But seriously do we think these people can end up making laws for us and help progress our country?”

He said he wished to represent all in Pakistan, regardless of caste, creed, religion and sect, but the party chairman could not satisfactorily answer why there was zero representation of women in the press conference. “We will try to involve as many women as possible but not many women tend to be involved in politics themselves and those that are, come on reserved seats unless they have huge names attached to them. However we welcome not just women but religious minorities too.”

He added that the party did not differentiate in terms of religion, rather it focused on basic needs and necessities of the people.

“We totally condemn the removal of some of the clauses from the nomination papers, including declaration of assets and lands owned, along with several other provisions. This is a form of pre-poll rigging and it’s been done by all the three main parties to save their own skins,” he said.

Jawad said the Barabri Party would peddle the idea of basic structural land reforms, and to put an end to feudalism. “Politics is the only tool with which you can change things,” he said.

“The lack of representation of middle and lower classes is so visible here, otherwise there are so many other countries in the world where these classes have representation.”Vice Chairman Imtiazul Haq, Secretary General Tariq Shahzad, and Secretary Labour Tariq Awan were also present.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2018