ISLAMABAD: Apparently upbeat about the success of its no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly, the joint opposition on Wednesday issued a charter promising democratic good governance, consensus-based electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections and elimination of undemocratic interference in politics in the wake of ouster of the incumbent government.

The opposition parties, in a broad-based joint charter, titled ‘Quwwat-i-Akhuwat-i-Awam’ — issued on Pakistan Day and covering a host of issues — said in view of the security challenges facing the country, the relevant institutions will be strengthened purely on professional lines. They vowed to eliminate terrorism through effective implementation of the National Security Policy, and introduce an effective, transparent and just law for across-the-board accountability to tackle financial corruption.

The charter also pledged to frame a policy, on an urgent basis, to ensure relief for the poor, labourers, farmers and fixed-income groups. Concrete steps would be taken for the recovery of all victims of enforced disappearance, the opposition promised.

PML-N long march to now depart from Lahore on Saturday

It also vowed to strengthen the 18th Amendment and provincial autonomy, and ensure transfer of power from the provinces down to the local governments. It further said civic, human, social, gender and minority rights would be guaranteed and implementation of constitutional provisions to this effect would be ensured.

The charter claimed to do away with all the curbs on freedom of expression and the media and repeal black laws against the media. It also promised to defend the Islamic provisions of the Constitution as well as the fundamental human, political and social rights of people.

The opposition parties also pledged to improve the standard of living of people, rid the country of the debt trap and remove social and economic disparity.

They said after the success of the no-trust motion, a truly representative elected government would come into power through free and fair elections to hammer out a strategy for economic development based on social justice.

In the charter, the opposition also pledged to transform Pakistan into a state where the Constitution would be supreme and all administrative institutions of the country would be subservient to the elected executive and parliament.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has summoned a session of the Lower House to deliberate on the opposition’s no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Khan on Friday (tomorrow) at 11am.

PML-N long march

Meanwhile, the PML-N has amended the schedule of its long march on Islamabad. The party’s rally, led by its vice presidents Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz, will now depart from Lahore on March 26 and reach Islamabad on March 28. The decision was taken at a meeting of the long march management committee held here with PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.

The change in schedule has been made following the much-criticised decision of the National Assembly speaker to summon a session on the no-trust move on March 25 — four days after the constitutional deadline.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2022