QUETTA: General Azam Khan, an independent Opposition leader, has pleaded for the “democratisation of the constitution” through amendments ensuring adult franchise in electing the President and the Central and Provincial legislatures. These amendments in the constitution, he said, should be brought about without delay so that the present difficulties faced by the people could be removed.

General Azam was addressing a public meeting organised by the Quetta branch of the Pakistan Democratic Movement on municipal lawns this afternoon [Dec 31]. He dealt at length with people’s problems and held the present regime responsible for creating frustration in the country. He said that the people’s struggle for democracy would ultimately meet with success.

He asked the students whom he described as future leaders of the country to pursue their education and when schools and colleges were reopened they should go and attend their classes.

The independent Opposition leader announced that a national conference will be called in East Pakistan or the West Wing to consider country’s future state of affairs. The proposed national conference, he added, will be representative of all political parties and others and the decisions taken at the conference would be the decisions of the people of Pakistan.

Gen Azam also referred to problems faced by the people after the unification of West Pakistan and said that promises made at the time of the creation of One Unit had not been fulfilled. He demanded that problems of the people of former Baluchistan should be attended to by the Government and steps should be taken to provide greater amenities in the area. He pleaded for the setting up of a university, engineering college and other technical institutions and the supply of Sui gas to this region from where it is produced ... . — Correspondent

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2019