PESHAWAR, Jan 11: Omar Asghar Khan, convener of the newly-launched Qaumi Jamhoori Party, has urged the working class to come forward and organise themselves under the banner of his party and work for the replacement of the outdated socio-economic structure with the egalitarian system in the country.

Speaking at a news conference here at the Peshawar Press Club on Friday, he said the QJP was a democratic party and anybody who agreed with its programme could join it, but the party totally believed in the might of downtrodden of the country.

He said: “The QJP wants to get working-class people placed on the decision-making forums. It does not believe in confrontation with the establishment, instead, it wants to secure their rights through peaceful process of negotiations.”

Mr Khan suggested a complete ban on the unlimited expenditures by the political parties, and urged the government to make the national and provincial assembly constituencies accessible to all, and divide these on equally established population blocs.

He underlined the need for doubling the national and provincial assembly seats and an increase in the minorities seats.

Speaking on Afghanistan situation, he welcomed the visit by Afghan finance minister to Islamabad and suggested more bilateral visits between the two countries.

He hoped that after the reconstruction of their homeland, Afghan refugees would go back to their country and take part in the development of Afghanistan.

Omar urged India and Pakistan to settle all the issues through negotiations rather than opting for a war. “It is an era of peace. And peace is necessary for economic progress,” he added.

Pakistan and India were faced with abject poverty and they needed to divert their attention towards the uplift of their people, he added.