KARACHI - PPP senior leader and Senator, Raza Rabbani has suggested Grand National Reconciliation in the country, calling upon the political parties to follow minimum political agenda of ‘Benazir Bhutto Model of Democratic Transition’.
Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Friday, he unveiled his idea of Grand National Reconciliation.
He emphasized on the political parties to revisit the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif in London.
PPP Senator Saeed Ghani, PPP leader Waqar Mahdi and Rashid Rabbani were also present on the occasion.
Rabbani unveiled his open letter to the farmers, peasants, labourers, workers, artisans, artists, intellectuals, students, writers, journalists and political workers though which he floated his idea of Grand National Reconciliation which Benazir Bhutto practically practiced. Suggesting the reconciliation named after her, Rabbani invited all the democratic, progressive, political forces to discuss and ascribe their signatures to a minimum national political agenda – ‘The Banzir Bhutto Model to Democratic Transition’.
He traced the history of military dictators, which according to him, proved political, economic and social loss to the country.
Rabbani, in his letter, discussed 14 points, which include Charter of Democracy. The CoD needs to be revisited to bring a new covenant between the democratic forces, reaffirming the federal and parliamentary structures in the constitution.
He also called for redefining the civil military relations at all levels through a constant dialogue and development of systems at the executive and parliamentary levels.
He also emphasised to shun the adhocism and develop system for good governance including the civil services reforms as well as to ensure the independence of judiciary as stipulated in the 1973 constitution.
Rabbani said his open letter was for holding discussion in the society as he touched all the issues from foreign relations to provincial autonomy and implementing the constitution by following the democratic process in letter and spirit.
“A democratic system encourages dialogue, debate, accommodation, tolerance and confines conflict by providing mechanisms and institutions under the law. Much damage had already been inflicted to the Constitution, state institutions and laws,” he added.
Rabbani said: “Corruption, nepotism, sectarianism, lawlessness, crime, drug abuse, economic disparity and economic mismanagement have all made it difficult for the common man to earn his daily living.”
“The democratic system in Pakistan may not have come without flaws as it may be sluggish with a smack of bad governance,” he said, adding Pakistan must surmount and move forward.
The PPP leader declared that the evil forces are still active in their conspiracy to derail the democratic process. He warned that if the democracy will derail, it would be harmful for the integrity of the federation.
Rabbani said the PPP had serious differences with the government on some national issues but the PPP would not allow anyone to derail the democratic system in the country.