OFFICIAL TEXT: "Islamabad Long March Declaration"

Following decisions were unanimously arrived at; having been taken today, 17 January 2013, in the meeting which was participated by coalition parties delegation led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain including:

1) Makdoom Amin Fahim, PPP

2) Syed Khursheed Shah, PPP

3) Qamar ur Zama Qaira, PPP

4) Farooq H Naik, PPP

5) Mushahid Hussain, PML-Q

6) Dr Farooq Sattar, MQM

7) Babar Ghauri, MQM

8) Afrasiab Khattak, ANP

9) Senator Abbas Afridi, FATA

With the founding leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) and chairman Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), Dr Muhammad Tahirul Qadri.

The Decisions

1) The National Assembly shall be dissolved at any time before March 16, 2013, (due date), so that the elections may take place within the 90 days. One month will be given for scrutiny of nomination paper for the purpose of pre-clearance of the candidates under article 62 and 63 of the constitution so that the eligibility of the candidates is determined by the Elections Commission of Pakistan. No candidate would be allowed to start the election campaign until pre-clearance on his/her eligibility is given by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

2) The treasury benches in complete consensus with Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will propose names of two honest and impartial persons for appointment as Caretaker Prime Minister.

3) Issue of composition of the Election Commission of Pakistan will be discussed at the next meeting on Sunday, January 27, 2013, 12 noon at the Minhaj-ul-Quran Secretariat. Subsequent meetings if any in this regard will also be held at the central secretariat of Minhaj-ul-Quran in Lahore. In pursuance to todays’ decision, the Law Minister will convene a meeting of the following lawyers: S. M. Zafar, Waseem Sajjad, Aitizaz Ahsan, Farough Naseem, Latif Afridi, Dr Khalid Ranja and Hamayoun Ahsan, to discuss these issues. Prior to the meeting of January 27, the Law Minister, Mr Farooq H Naek, will report the results of this legal consultation to the January 27 meeting.

4) Electoral Reforms: It was agreed upon that the focus will be on the enforcement of electoral reforms prior to the polls on:

A. Article 62, 63 and 218 (3) of the constitution

B. Section 77 to 82 of the Representation of Peoples’ Act 1976 and other relevant provisions relating to conducting free, fair, just and honest elections guarded against all corrupt practices.

C. The Supreme Court Judgement of June 8, 2012 on constitutional petition of 2011 must be implemented in Toto and in true letter and spirit.

5) With the end of the long march and sit-in, all cases registered against each other shall be withdrawn immediately and there will be no acts of victimisation and vendetta against either party or the participants of the march.

This declaration has been entered into in a cordial atmosphere and reconciliatory spirit.

Signatories of the declaration

Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman Pakistan Awami Tehreek

Raja Pervez Ashraf and Dr Muhammad Tahirul Qadri

Leader of the delegation and former Law Minister

Chaudry Shujaat Hussain and Farooq H Naek

Makdoom Amin Fahim, PPP

Syed Khursheed Shah, PPP

Qamar ur Zama Qaira, PPP

Farooq H Naik, PPP

Mushahid Hussain, PML-Q

Dr Farooq Sattar, MQM