KARACHI, June 1: Opposition leaders on Wednesday welcomed the Charter of Democracy (CoD), signed in London by former prime ministers Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif on May 14, as a ‘positive and historic document’, but felt that its points needed constitutional amendment, as well as holding of free and fair elections in the country.

They maintained that under the present set-up, holding of free, fair and transparent polls was not possible, and that a long struggle was required to change the country’s political culture and strengthen its democratic institutions.

They were expressing their views at a seminar on Analyzing the Charter of Democracy, organised by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).

Senator Raza Rabbani said that the Charter of Democracy was a consensus document signed by the two major political parties of the country. It defines broad parameters to improve the government-opposition relations. He said that by implementing the document, army would have no role in the political affairs of the country as it would only perform its constitutional role.

Mr Rabbani said that civil society organisations and groups would also be urged to ratify the CoD as it would be helpful in creating the balance of power and strengthening democracy.

JI Naib Amir Prof Ghafoor Ahmed described CoD as ‘a positive document’, but added that its signatories and other opposition parties must realise that it could not be adopted unless free and fair polls were held and the document was backed by a two-third majority in the parliament.

He said that the CoD’s implementation needed a struggle leading to the holding of fair elections that could ensure return of only genuinely elected representatives of people. He felt that the PPP and PML-N, being major parties, should have acknowledged their past mistakes and pledged not to repeat the same in future.

All opposition parties should join in the struggle for the supremacy of parliament, he said, pointing out that the present government had paralysed all institutions, including the parliament, judiciary and election commission.

MNA Kunwar Khalid Younus of the MQM welcomed the CoD but said that the two parties should have adopted it in 1988. In his view, the CoD had no representation of people. There were many menaces, including the feudal system, violence against women, etc. He criticised the PPP and PML-N for having done nothing while in power twice to curb these menaces.

He quoted MQM chief Altaf Hussain as saying that politicians should not oppose only present uniformed man, but should also pledge not to support any military dictator in future, irrespective of his policies.

PTI Sindh President Zubair Khan said Pakistan suffered setbacks only when dictators were in power. “If free and fair polls are held, PML-Q will not be able to secure five per cent of seats.” He said PTI would sign the CoD on the condition that it envisaged a neutral and independent role for police.

Central Joint Secretary of the PML-N Nihal Hashmi said the CoD was an evolution of political culture and democracy. Everything pledged in the CoD was for people through their elected representatives.

Senior Vice President of the PML-Q, Sindh, Dr Raheemul Haq said that instead of signing ‘documents’ abroad, the PPP and PML-N leaders in exile should return to Pakistan and face the cases registered against them and contest the polls. He alleged that the two parties had victimized each other while in power. He said that complete democracy prevailed in the country at present.

Editor of the Pakistan Press International (PPI) Farooq Moin was moderator of seminar.—PPI