Siraj presents charter of demands for civilian supremacy

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Senator Sirajul Haq has asked the political parties to initiate a dialogue among themselves on wide-ranging electoral and political reforms for establishing a transparent and accountable election system and effective governance system to improve the quality of future polls and governments in the country.

He presented an 11-point charter of demands at a press conference at Mansoora on Friday for establishment of civilian supremacy, transparent polls, holding polls on proportionate representation system, meaningful dialogue among political forces, implementation on the 18th Amendment and transferring autonomy to provinces in real sense, etc. He warned that holding dialogue with army or any other institutions would amount to inviting them to meddle in political affairs. He said Pakistan needed civilian supremacy and democratic system based on the founding principles of the country. He urged the political parties to sit together on one point agenda of electoral reforms. He said there was an urgent need to end the culture of dragging institutions into politics.

He said a free and independent media was a vital component for the development of Pakistan. The present and previous governments, he added, made interferences to curb the media freedom and put it under their control. The JI, he said, wanted that the media should be allowed to work independently.