Text of the Charter of Democracy

LONDON, May 15: The following is the text of the Charter of Democracy signed by
former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif here on Sunday:

We the elected leaders of Pakistan have deliberated on the political crisis in our beloved
homeland, the threats to its survival, the erosion of the federation's unity, the military's
subordination of all state institutions, the marginalisation of civil society, the mockery of
the Constitution and representative institutions, growing poverty, unemployment and
inequality, brutalisation of society, breakdown of rule of law and, the unprecedented
hardships facing our people under a military dictatorship, which has pushed our beloved
country to the brink of a total disaster;

Noting the most devastating and traumatic experiences that our nation experienced under
military dictatorships that played havoc with the nation's destiny and created conditions
disallowing the progress of our people and the flowering of democracy. Even after
removal from office they undermined the people’s mandate and the sovereign will of the
people;

Drawing history’s lesson that the military dictatorship and the nation cannot co-exist – as
military involvement adversely affect the economy and the democratic institutions as
well as the defence capabilities, and the integrity of the country - the nation needs a new
direction different from a militaristic and regimental approach of the Bonapartist regimes,
as the current one;

Taking serious exception to the vilification campaign against the representatives of the
people, in particular, and the civilians, in general, the victimisation of political
leaders/workers and their media trials under a Draconian law in the name of
accountability, in order to divide and eliminate the representative political parties, to
Gerrymander a king's party and concoct legitimacy to prolong the military rule;

Noting our responsibility to our people to set an alternative direction for the country
saving it from its present predicaments on an economically sustainable, socially
progressive, politically democratic and pluralist, federally cooperative, ideologically
tolerant, internationally respectable and regionally peaceful basis in the larger interests of
the peoples of Pakistan to decide once for all that only the people and no one else has the
sovereign right to govern through their elected representatives, as conceived by the
democrat par excellence, Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah;

Reaffirming our commitment to undiluted democracy and universally recognised

fundamental rights, the rights of a vibrant opposition, internal party democracy,
ideological/political tolerance, bipartisan working of the parliament through powerful
committee system, a cooperative federation with no discrimination against federating
units, the decentralisation and devolution of power, maximum provincial autonomy, the
empowerment of the people at the grassroots level, the emancipation of our people from
poverty, ignorance, want and disease, the uplift of women and minorities, the elimination
of klashnikov culture, a free and independent media, an independent judiciary, a neutral
civil service, rule of law and merit, the settlement of disputes with the neighbours through
peaceful means, honouring international contracts, laws/covenants and sovereign
guarantees, so as to achieve a responsible and civilised status in the comity of nations
through a foreign policy that suits our national interests;

Calling upon the people of Pakistan to join hands to save our motherland from the
clutches of military dictatorship and to defend their fundamental, social, political and
economic rights and for a democratic, federal, modern and progressive Pakistan as
dreamt by the Founder of the nation; have adopted the following, “Charter of
Democracy”;

A. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

1. The 1973 Constitution as on 12th October 1999 before the military coup shall be
restored with the provisions of joint electorates, minorities, and women reserved seats on
closed party list in the Parliament, the lowering of the voting age, and the increase in
seats in parliament and the Legal Framework Order, 2000 and the Seventeenth
Constitutional Amendment shall be repealed accordingly.

2. The appointment of the governors, three services chiefs and the CJCSC shall be made
by the chief executive who is the prime minister, as per the 1973 Constitution.

3. (a) The recommendations for appointment of judges to superior judiciary shall be

formulated through a commission, which shall comprise of the following: i. The
chairman shall be a chief justice, who has never previously taken oath under the PCO.

ii. The members of the commission shall be the chief justices of the provincial high
courts who have not taken oath under the PCO, failing which the senior most judge of
that high court who has not taken oath shall be the member

iii. Vice-Chairmen of Pakistan and Vice-Chairmen of Provincial Bar Association with

respect to the appointment of judges to their concerned province

iv. President of Supreme Court Bar Association

v. Presidents of High Court Bar Associations of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta
with respect to the appointment of judges to their concerned province

vi. Federal Minister for Law and Justice

vii. Attorney General of Pakistan

(a-i) The commission shall forward a panel of three names for each vacancy to the prime
minister, who shall forward one name for confirmation to joint parliamentary committee
for confirmation of the nomination through a transparent public hearing process.

(a-ii) The joint parliamentary committee shall comprise of 50 per cent members from the
treasury benches and the remaining 50 per cent from opposition parties based on their
strength in the parliament nominated by respective parliamentary leaders.

(b) No judge shall take oath under any Provisional Constitutional Order or any other oath
that is contradictory to the exact language of the original oath prescribed in the
Constitution of 1973.

(c) Administrative mechanism will be instituted for the prevention of misconduct,

implementation of code of ethics, and removal of judges on such charges brought to its
attention by any citizen through the proposed commission for appointment of Judges. (d)
All special courts including anti-terrorism and accountability courts shall be abolished
and such cases be tried in ordinary courts. Further to create a set of rules and procedures
whereby, the arbitrary powers of the chief justices over the assignment of cases to various
judges and the transfer of judges to various benches such powers shall be exercised by
the Chief Justice and two senior most judges sitting together.

4. A Federal Constitutional Court will be set up to resolve constitutional issues, giving

equal representation to each of the federating units, whose members may be judges or
persons qualified to be judges of the Supreme Court, constituted for a six-year period.
The Supreme and High Courts will hear regular civil and criminal cases. The
appointment of judges shall be made in the same manner as for judges of higher
judiciary.

5. The Concurrent List in the Constitution will be abolished. A new NFC award will be
announced.

6. The reserved seats for women in the national and provincial assemblies will be
allocated to the parties on the basis of the number of votes polled in the general elections
by each party.

7. The strength of the Senate of Pakistan shall be increased to give representation to

minorities in the Senate.

8. FATA shall be included in the NWFP province in consultation with them.

9. Northern Areas shall be developed by giving it a special status and further empowering
the Northern Areas Legislative Council to provide people of Northern Areas access to
justice and human rights.

10. Local bodies election will be held on party basis through provincial election
commissions in respective provinces and constitutional protection will be given to the
local bodies to make them autonomous and answerable to their respective assemblies as
well as to the people through regular courts of law.
B. CODE OF CONDUCT

11. National Security Council will be abolished. Defence Cabinet Committee will be
headed by prime minister and will have a permanent secretariat. The prime minister may
appoint a federal security adviser to process intelligence reports for the prime minister.
The efficacy of the higher defence and security structure, created two decades ago, will
be reviewed. The Joint Services Command structure will be strengthened and made more
effective and headed in rotation among the three services by law. 12. The ban on a ‘prime
minister not being eligible for a third term of office’ will be abolished.

13. (a) Truth and Reconciliation Commission be established to acknowledge victims of

torture, imprisonment, state-sponsored persecution, targeted legislation, and politically
motivated accountability. The commission will also examine and report its findings on
military coups and civil removals of governments from 1996.

(b) A commission shall also examine and identify the causes of and fix responsibility and
make recommendations in the light thereof for incidences such as Kargil.

(c) Accountability of NAB and other Ehtesab operators to identify and hold accountable
abuse of office by NAB operators through purgery and perversion of justice and violation
of human rights since its establishment.

(d) To replace politically motivated NAB with an independent accountability

commission, whose chairman shall be nominated by the prime minister in consultation
with the leader of opposition and confirmed by a joint parliamentary committee with 50
per cent members from treasury benches and remaining 50 per cent from opposition
parties in same manner as appointment of judges through transparent public hearing. The
confirmed nominee shall meet the standard of political impartiality, judicial propriety,
moderate views expressed through his judgements and would have not dealt.

14. The press and electronic media will be allowed its independence. Access to
information will become law after parliamentary debate and public scrutiny.

15. The chairmen of public accounts committee in the national and provincial assemblies
will be appointed by the leaders of opposition in the concerned assemblies.

16. An effective Nuclear Command and Control system under the Defence Cabinet
Committee will be put in place to avoid any possibility of leakage or proliferation.

17. Peaceful relations with India and Afghanistan will be pursued without prejudice to
outstanding disputes.

18. Kashmir dispute should be settled in accordance with the UN Resolutions and the
aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
19. Governance will be improved to help the common citizen, by giving access to quality
social services like education, health, job generation, curbing price hike, combating
illegal redundancies, and curbing lavish spendings in civil and military establishments as
ostentious causes great resentment amongst the teeming millions. We pledge to promote
and practice simplicity, at all levels.

20. Women, minorities, and the under privileged will be provided equal opportunities in
all walks of life.

21. We will respect the electoral mandate of representative governments that accepts the
due role of the opposition and declare neither shall undermine each other through extra
constitutional ways.

22. We shall not join a military regime or any military sponsored government. No party
shall solicit the support of military to come into power or to dislodge a democratic
government.

23. To prevent corruption and floor crossing all votes for the Senate and indirect seats
will be by open identifiable ballot. Those violating the party discipline in the poll shall
stand disqualified by a letter from the parliamentary party leader to the concerned
Speaker or the Chairman Senate with a copy to the Election Commission for notification
purposes within 14 days of receipt of letter failing which it will be deemed to have been
notified on the expiry of that period.

24. All military and judicial officers will be required to file annual assets and income
declarations like Parliamentarians to make them accountable to the public.

25. National Democracy Commission shall be established to promote and develop a

democratic culture in the country and provide assistance to political parties for capacity
building on the basis of their seats in parliament in a transparent manner.

26. Terrorism and militancy are by-products of military dictatorship, negation of

democracy, are strongly condemned, and will be vigorously confronted.

C. FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

27. There shall be an independent, autonomous, and impartial election commission. The
prime minister shall in consultation with leader of opposition forward up to three names
for each position of chief election commissioner, members of election commission, and
secretary to joint parliamentary committee, constituted on the same pattern as for
appointment of judges in superior judiciary, through transparent public hearing process.
In case of no consensus, both prime minister and leader of opposition shall forward
separate lists to the joint parliamentary committee for consideration. Provincial election
commissioner shall be appointed on the same pattern by committees of respective
provincial assemblies.
28. All contesting political parties will be ensured a level playing field in the elections by
the release of all political prisoners and the unconditional return of all political exiles.
Elections shall be open to all political parties and political personalities. The graduation
requirement of eligibility which has led to corruption and fake degrees will be repealed.

29. Local bodies elections will be held within three months of the holding of general
elections.

30. The concerned election authority shall suspend and appoint neutral administrators for
all local bodies from the date of formation of a caretaker government for holding of
general elections till the elections are held.

31. There shall be a neutral caretaker government to hold free, fair, and transparent
elections. The members of the said government and their immediate relatives shall not
contest elections.

D. CIVIL - MILITARY RELATIONS

32. The ISI, MI and other security agencies shall be accountable to the elected
government through Prime Minister Sectt, Ministry of Defence, and Cabinet Division
respectively. Their budgets will be approved by DCC after recommendations are
prepared by the respective ministry. The political wings of all intelligence agencies will
be disbanded. A committee will be formed to cut waste and bloat in the armed forces and
security agencies in the interest of the defence and security of the country. All senior
postings in these agencies shall be made with the approval of the government through
respective ministry.

33. All indemnities and savings introduced by military regimes in the constitution shall
be reviewed.

34. Defence budget shall be placed before the parliament for debate and approval.

35. Military land allotment and cantonment jurisdictions will come under the purview of
defence ministry. A commission shall be set up to review, scrutinise, and examine the
legitimacy of all such land allotment rules, regulations, and policies, along with all cases
of state land allotment including those of military urban and agricultural land allotments
since 12th October, 1999 to hold those accountable who have indulged in malpractices,
profiteering, and favouritism.

36. Rules of business of the federal and provincial governments shall be reviewed to
bring them in conformity with parliamentary form of government.

CHARTER OF DEMOCRACY

We the elected leaders of Pakistan having deliberated on the political crisis in our
homeland, the threats to its survival, the military’s subordination of all state institutions, the
marginalization of civil society, the mockery of the Constitution, growing poverty,
 unemployment and inequality, breakdown of rule of law and unprecedented hardships
under a military dictatorship which has pushed our beloved country to the brink of total
disaster;

2. Noting the most traumatic experiences that our nation experienced under
military dictatorships that played havoc with the nation’s destiny and created
conditions disallowing the progress of our people and the flowering of democracy.
Even after removal from office they undermined the people’s mandate and the
sovereign will of the people.

3. Drawing history’s lesson that the military dictatorship and the nation cannot
co-exist - as military involvement adversely affects the economy and the
democratic institutions as well as the defence capabilities and the integrity of the
country - the nation needs a new direction from a militaristic approach of the
Bonapartist regimes as the current one;

4. Taking serious exception to the vilification campaign against the

representatives of the people, the victimization of political leaders/workers and
their media trials under a Draconian law in the name of accountability, in order to
eliminate the representative political parties, to Gerrymander a king's party and
concoct legitimacy to prolong the military rule;

5. Noting our responsibility to our people to set an alternative direction for the
country on an economically sustainable, socially progressive, politically democratic
and pluralist, federally cooperative, ideologically tolerant, internationally
respectable and regionally peaceful basis to decide once for all that only the
people have the sovereign right to govern through their elected representatives as
conceived by the Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah;
6. Reaffirming our commitment to democracy and universally recognized fundamental rights,
the rights of a vibrant opposition, internal party democracy, ideological/political tolerance,
bipartisan working of the parliament through powerful committee system, a cooperative
federation with no discrimination against federating units, the devolution of power,
maximum provincial autonomy, the empowerment of the people at the grassroots level, the
emancipation of our people from poverty, ignorance, want and disease, the uplift of women
and minorities, the elimination of Kalashnikov culture, a free media, an independent
judiciary, a neutral civil service, rule of law and merit, the settlement of disputes with
neighbours through peaceful means, honouring international contracts, laws/covenants
and sovereign guarantees to achieve a responsible status through a foreign policy that
suits our national interests;

7. Calling upon the people of Pakistan to join hands to save our motherland from
the clutches of military dictatorship and to defend their fundamental, social,
political and economic rights and for a democratic, federal, modern and
progressive Pakistan as dreamt by the Founder of the nation have adopted the
following, “Charter of Democracy”;
A. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

1. The 1973 Constitution as on 12th October 1999 before the military coup shall
be restored with the provisions of joint electorates, minorities, and women’s
reserved seats on closed party list in the Parliament, the lowering of the voting
age, and the increase in seats in parliament and the legal Framework Order, 2000
and the Seventeenth Constitutional Amendment shall be repealed accordingly.
 i. The Appointment of the Governors, three Services Chiefs and the CJCSC
shall be made by the Chief Executive who is the Prime Minister, as per the 1973
Constitution.
3. (a) The recommendations for appointment of judges to superior judiciary shall
be formulated through a commission, which shall comprise of the following:
i. The Chairman shall be a Chief Justice, who has never previously taken oath under
PCO.
ii. The members of the commission shall be the Chief Justices of the provincial High
Courts who have not taken oath under the PCO, failing which the senior most
judge of that High Court who has not taken oath shall be the member
iii. Vice Chairmen of Pakistan and Vice Chairmen of Provincial Bar Councils with
respect to the appointment of judges to their concerned province
iv. Presidents of High Court Bar Associations of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and
Quetta, with respect to the appointment of judges to their concerned province
v. Federal and Provincial (for the concerned provinces) Minister for Law & Justice
vi. Attorney General of Pakistan and advocate generals for the concerned provinces
for concerned provinces
(a-i) The Commission shall forward a panel of three names for each vacancy to the Prime Minister,
who shall forward one name for confirmation to Joint Parliamentary Committee for
confirmation of the nomination through a transparent public hearing process.
(a-ii) The Joint Parliamentary Committee shall comprise of 50 percent members from the
treasury benches and the remaining 50 percent from opposition parties based on their
strength in the Parliament nominated by respective Parliamentary leaders.
(b) No judge shall take oath under any Provisional Constitutional Order or any other oath
that is contradictory to the exact language of the original oath prescribed in the
Constitution of 1973.
(c) Administrative mechanism will be instituted for the prevention of misconduct,
implementation of code of ethics, and removal of judges on such charges brought to its
attention by any citizen through the proposed commission for appointment of Judges.
(d) All special courts including Anti Terrorism and Accountability Courts shall be abolished
and such cases be tried in ordinary courts. Further to create a set of rules and procedures
whereby, the arbitrary powers of the Chief Justices over the assignment of cases to
various judges and the transfer of judges to various benches such powers shall be
exercised by the Chief Justice and two senior most judges sitting together.
4. A Federal Constitutional Court will be set up to resolve constitutional issues,
giving equal representation to each of the federating units, whose members may
be judges or persons qualified to be judges of the Supreme Court, constituted for a
six year period. The Supreme and High Courts will hear regular civil and criminal
cases. The appointment of Judges shall be made in the same manner as for
Judges of Higher Judiciary.
5. The Concurrent List in the Constitution will be abolished. A new NFC award
will be announced.
6. The reserved seats for women and minorities in the National and Provincial
Assemblies will be allocated to the parties on the basis of the number of votes
polled in the general elections by each party.
7. The strength of the Senate of Pakistan shall be increased to give
representation to minorities in the Senate.
8. FATA shall be included in NWFP province in consultation with them.
 9. Northern Areas shall be developed by giving it a special status and further
empowering the Northern Areas Legislative Council to provide people of Northern
Areas access to justice and human rights.
10. The Local Bodies Election will be held on party basis through Provincial
Election Commissions in respective provinces and constitutional protection will be
given to the Local Bodies to make them autonomous and answerable to their
respective Assemblies as well as to the people through regular courts of law.
B. CODE OF CONDUCT

11. National Security Council will be abolished. Defence Cabinet Committee will
be headed by PM and will have a permanent secretariat. The PM may appoint a
Federal Security Advisor to process intelligence reports for the Prime Minister.
The efficacy of the higher defence and security structure, created two decades
ago, will be reviewed. The Joint Services Command structure will be strengthened
and made more effective and headed in rotation among the three services by law.
12. The ban on a “Prime Minister not being eligible for a third” term of office will
be abolished.
13. (a) Truth and Reconciliation Commission (T&RC)” be established to
acknowledge victims of torture, imprisonment, state-sponsored persecution,
targeted legislation, and politically motivated accountability. The Commission will
also examine and report its findings on military coups and civil removals of
governments from 1996.
(b) A Commission shall also examine and identify the causes of and fix responsibility and
make recommendations in the light thereof for incidences such as Kargil.
(c) Accountability of NAB and other Ehtesab operators to identify and hold accountable
abuse of office by NAB operators through purgery and perversion of justice and violation of
human rights since its establishment.
(d)To replace politically motivated NAB with an independent Accountability Commission,
whose Chairman shall be nominated by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader
of Opposition and confirmed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee with 50 percent members
from treasury benches and remaining 50 percent from opposition parties in same manner
as appointment of judges through transparent public hearing. The confirmed nominee shall
meet the standard of political impartiality, judicial propriety, moderate views expressed
through his judgments and would have not dealt with matters relating to a former or
present member of the Federal cabinet or their families.
14. The Press and Electronic Media will be allowed its independence. Access to
Information will become law after parliamentary debate and public scrutiny.
15. The Chairmen of Public Accounts Committee in the National and Provincial
Assemblies will be appointed by Leaders of Opposition in the concerned
assemblies.
16. Terrorism and militancy are by products of military dictatorship, negation of
democracy, are strongly condemned, and will be vigorously confronted.
17. An effective Nuclear Command and Control system under the Defence
Cabinet Committee will be put in place to avoid any possibility of leakage or
proliferation.
18. Peaceful relations with India and Afghanistan will be pursued without
prejudice to outstanding disputes.
 19. Kashmir dispute should be settled in accordance with the UN Resolutions
and the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
20. Governance will be improved to help the common citizen, by giving access to
quality social services like education, health, job generation, curbing price hike,
combating illegal redundancies, and curbing lavish spendings in civil and military
establishments as ostentatious living causes great resentment amongst the
teeming millions. We pledge to practice simplicity, at all levels.
21. Women, minorities, and the under privileged will be provided equal
opportunities in all walks of life.
22. We will respect the electoral mandate of representative governments that
accepts the due role of the opposition and declare neither shall undermine each
other through extra constitutional ways.
23. We shall not join a military regime or any military sponsored government. No
party shall solicit the support of military to come into power or to dislodge a
democratic government.
24. To prevent corruption and floor crossing all votes for the Senate and indirect
seats will be by open identifiable ballot. Those violating the party discipline in the
poll shall stand disqualified by a letter from the Parliamentary Party Leader to the
concerned Speaker or the Chairman Senate with a copy to the Election
Commission for notification purposes within fourteen days of receipt of letter failing
which it will be deemed to have been notified on the expiry of that period.
25. All military and judicial officers will be required to file annual assets and
income declarations like Parliamentarians to make them accountable to the public.
26. A National Democracy Commission shall be established to promote and
develop a democratic culture in the country and provide assistance to political
parties for capacity building on the basis of their seats in Parliament in a
transparent manner.
C. FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

27. There shall be an independent, autonomous, and impartial Election

Commission. The Prime Minister shall in consultation with Leader of Opposition
forward up to three names for each position of Chief Election Commissioner,
Members of Election Commission, and Secretary to Joint Parliamentary
Committee, constituted on the same pattern as for appointment of judges in
superior judiciary, through transparent public hearing process. In case of no
consensus, both Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition shall forward separate
lists to the Joint Parliamentary Committee for consideration. Provincial Election
Commissioner shall be appointed on the same pattern by Committees of
respective Provincial Assemblies.
28. All contesting political parties will be ensured a level playing field in the
elections by the release of all political prisoners and the unconditional return of all
political exiles. Elections shall be open to all political parties and political
personalities. The graduation requirement of eligibility which has led to corruption
and fake degrees will be repealed.
29. The Local bodies elections will be held within three months of the holding of
general elections.
 30. The concerned Election Authority shall suspend and appoint neutral
Administrators for all Local Bodies from the date of formation of a caretaker
Government for holding of general elections till the elections are held.
31. There shall be a neutral caretaker Government to hold free, fair, and
transparent elections. The members of the said Government and their immediate
relatives shall not contest elections.
D. CIVIL – MILITARY RELATIONS
32. The ISI, M.I and other security agencies shall be accountable to the elected
government through P.M Sectt, Ministry of Defence, and Cabinet Division
respectively. Their budgets will be approved by D.C.C after recommendations are
prepared by the respective ministry. The political wings of all intelligence agencies
will be disbanded. A Committee will be formed to cut waste and bloat in the armed
forces and security agencies in the interest of the defence and security of the
country. All senior postings in these agencies shall be made with the approval of
the government through respective ministry.
33. All indemnities and savings introduced by military regimes in the constitution
shall be reviewed.
34. Defence budget shall be placed before the Parliament for debate and
approval.

35. Military land allotment and Cantonment jurisdictions will come under the
purview of Ministry of Defence. A Commission shall be set up to review, scrutinize,
and examine the legitimacy of all such land allotment rules, regulations, and
policies, along with all cases of state land allotment including those of military
urban and agricultural land allotments since 12th October, 1999 to hold those
accountable who have indulged in malpractices, profiteering, and favouritism.
36. Rules of Business of the federal and provincial governments shall be
reviewed to bring them in conformity with Parliamentary form of government.

(Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto) (Mr. Nawaz Sharif)

Chairperson Quaid
Pakistan Peoples Party Pakistan Muslim League-N

Dated:14th May, 2006

London, UK