ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: A network of civil society organisations concerned individuals in a meeting on Wednesday launched a ‘peoples agenda’ as the way to salvage the country from its present desperate situation and make it a modern progressive and social democratic state ensuring dignity and a better life for its people.

According to the document issued by the Insani Huqooq Ittehad, after the meeting at SDPI, “Pakistan was passing through one of the most critical phases of its history after having been embroiled in the so-called global war on terror and declared by its friends as the most dangerous country in the world.

“With this image in the foreign eyes internally the country was beset with long periods of military dictatorship with short interludes of controlled democracy. This had resulted in growing inequity, abject poverty, religious extremism, intolerance and a total breakdown of law and order.”

The coming general elections provided an opportunity to the state and competing political parties to bring forth the people’s agenda, the statement added.

The civil society organisations and concerned citizens working under the umbrella of Insani Huqooq Ittehad comprising SDPI, HRCP, SPO, Aurat Foundation, Bedari, CPDI, Pattan, PODA, Rozan, Sungi, ActionAid, demanded from the political forces to establish a social democratic state and work for the social and economic well being of the citizens. The state must fulfil its responsibility to provide social security to all its citizens as defined in the Constitution.

They said free and quality education up to high school level is a basic human right and must be provided to every child. The syllabus must be designed to promote peace, tolerance, gender equality and a culture of democracy to enable each child to develop her/his full capabilities and creativity.

“Madressah education, run by clerics is shackling the minds of young people and crippling their creativity. We see it as the State’s responsibility to establish boarding schools that provide food, clothing and education across the country for children from poor families. Adult education centres must also be established across the country”, the agenda said.

Quality health services up to tertiary level must be provided to every citizen free of cost. There must be no privatization of health services.Unemployment benefit, pension and old age benefits must be provided and home-based workers must be registered and social security provided to them.

The peoples agenda also seeks separation of religion from the functions of the state and complete freedom to the people to practice their faith, repeal of all discriminatory laws against religious minorities; equality of opportunities to all women and men, gender balance in all state institutions and society; repeal of all discriminatory laws including the Hudood ordinances and making legislation to mainstream women’s participation in all walks of life.

The agenda also demanded a mutual balance of power between the parliament, judiciary and the executive, independence and supremacy of state institutions, parliament, working of the judiciary and executive without any pressure and prejudice.

The Election Commission should be composed of all stakeholders and be able to exercise full authority without fear. There should be no role of intelligence agencies in the political process. Inner democracy within the political parties should be made mandatory.

They called for freedom of the Press and cultural and academic institutions and respect of the freedom of expression.

The agenda also demanded autonomy to all federating units, revival of the Council of Common Interests to settle disputes over water resources, oil and gas, revenue and mega projects, end to concurrent list.

It also stressed on the need for agricultural reforms, distribution of cultivable state-owned land among landless peasants, appropriate mechanisation, protection of the environment, promotion of agro-based industry and fair taxation on agricultural income.

Considering industrialisation and labour rights as two sides of the same coin, the agenda asked the government to encourage local entrepreneurship without creating monopolies and ensure the realisation of labour rights.