Pakistan Democratic Movement announced 12 point Charter of Pakistan

 PDM announced to continue holding public gatherings and protest movement despite the spike in COVID-19 cases

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the alliance of 11 opposition parties has announced to prepare a new charter consisting of 12 guiding principles or goals for their anti-government movement. The 12 point ‘Charter of Pakistan’ was announced by PDM president and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman after the PDM meeting. The opposition leaders agreed on  12 basic points of new charter. 

Here are the 12 points to prepare the charter of pakistan;  

1-    Ensuring supremacy and protection of federal, democratic, parliamentary and Islamic constitution's supremacy

2-    Independence of Parliament

3-    Distancing establishment and intelligence agencies from politics

4-    Establishing an independent judiciary

5-    Reforms for free and fair elections

6-    Protection of the public's basic and democratic rights

7-    Protection of provincial rights and 18th Amendment

8-    Establishment of an effective mechanism for local governments

9-    Protection of freedom of expression and independent media

10-           Elimination of extremism and terrorism

11-           Introducing an emergency economic package to eliminate poverty, inflation and unemployment

12-           Protection and implementation of Islamic sections of Constitution

Addressing the media after the meeting, the JUI-F chief said that the alliance had "rejected" the results of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, adding that the polls were a "replay of 2018 general elections". He declared that the elections were "stolen" from the masses and "state machinery and institutions were used freely".

The opposition alliance also rejected the possibility of talks and negotiations with PTI government on any issue including the electoral reforms. 

JUI-F chief said that the GB polls had proven the PDM's stance on the 2018 elections as true and vowed that the alliance will not "sit back until this selected government goes home".

PDM president also said that PDM's "momentum will be increased" and all rallies and public meetings will be held as per schedule.

"We reject the decision that is being taken to suspend rallies and public meetings in the garb of coronavirus," he told reporters. The PDM, which has already held public meetings in Gujranwala, Karachi and Quetta, is now scheduled to hold public meetings in Peshawar on November 22, in Multan on November 30 and in Lahore on December 13. The PDM has already given the call for a long march to Islamabad in January next year to seek the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, the government has hinted at banning public meetings and rallies in light of rising coronavirus cases.

When asked about Prime Minister Imran's announcement regarding the introduction of electoral reforms earlier today, Rehman said: "They (government) are used to rigging. They are trying to pressurise other members [of Parliament] and this will not happen. We are taking measures to block this but we won't tell you about this at this stage."

                                                           Khalid Bhatti