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Awaam Pakistan
عوام پاکستان/ عوام پاکستان پارٹی
AbbreviationAP
PresidentShahid Khaqan Abbasi
Secretary-GeneralMiftah Ismail
FoundersShahid Khaqan Abbasi
Miftah Ismail
Founded6 July 2024; 4 months ago (2024-07-06)
Split fromPakistan Muslim League (N)
HeadquartersKarachi, Sindh
Lahore, Punjab
Multan, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Islamabad, Quetta
Student wingAwaam Pakistan Student Federation
Youth wingAwaam Pakistan Youth Wing
Women's wingAwaam Pakistan Women Wing
Membership (2024)4,685[1]
Ideology
Political positionBig tent[3]
ReligionIslam
ColorsBlue     Green
Sloganبدلیں گے نظام (lit. 'We will change the system')
Election symbol
Owl
Party flag
Website
www.awaampakistan.org

The Awaam Pakistan (Urdu: عوام پاکستان, Sindhi: عوام پاڪستان, lit. 'People of Pakistan', abbr. AP) is a political party in Pakistan that was established in 2024 by former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former Minister of Finance Miftah Ismail, both of whom had left the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). Alongside Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), it is one of the three major political parties of the country. It is yet to be registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).[4][5]

The formal launching ceremony of the party was held on 6 July 2024 in Islamabad and Karachi.[6][3][7][8][9]

History

[edit]

On 3 January 2023, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, was appointed as senior vice president of the PML-N, making her one of the PML-N’s senior-most leaders.[10] Numerous senior leaders within PML-N expressed regret and displeasure over the lack of consultation preceding Maryam's appointment, which positioned her as the second most senior figure in the party, following her leaving uncle Shehbaz Sharif.[11][12][13] Within an hour of the announcement of Maryam's promotion, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former Prime Minister and a leader of PML-N, resigned as senior vice president of PML-N,[14][15][16] saying "Maryam needs space, if we are there, there will be disagreement, which is not suitable for anyone."[17] He later quit PML-N in December 2023.[18][19] In an interview, Abbasi said his “stature in the PML-N is equal to that of Shehbaz Sharif and working under Maryam is not acceptable to him at all. He takes it as his insult."[20] Another leader of PML-N, Miftah Ismail, also announced he would quit PML-N following his removal from his position as Federal Minister of Finance by Maryam.[21]

The party was founded in June 2024 by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Miftah Ismail, the former Minister of Finance. Prior to forming AP, Abbasi was a senior leader of the PML-N. He had left his former party on 16 December 2023, later citing his endorsement of the ووٹ کو عزت دو (lit. 'Honour the vote') narrative, which he claimed the PML-N had abandoned after Nawaz Sharif had returned from self-imposed exile. Ismail had left the PML-N on 25 June 2023, saying he was "not interested in active politics anymore".[22][23]

Later developments towards the creation of a new political party came in the form of the "Reimagining Pakistan" seminars, organized by Miftah Ismail and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in various cities across Pakistan.[24] The seminars also included figures like Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, previously associated with the Pakistan People's Party; he did not, however, join Awaam Pakistan, owing to disagreements concerning the party's launch date and its conflict with the Islamabad High Court's ruling concerning the results of Khokhar's electoral constituency in NA-47.[25]

On 21 June 2024, after months of speculation, a video was posted on the Twitter account of Awaam Pakistan, which featured a series of people asking questions about multiple national issues. The video featured the tagline 'عوام پاکستان: بدلیں گے نظام' (lit. 'People of Pakistan: We will change the system').[4]

On 6 July 2024, the party's formal launching ceremony was held in Islamabad. It was also announced that Abbasi had been elected as the convener of the party while Ismail was elected as the secretary during intra-party elections on 19 June. The ceremony was also attended by Mehtab Abbasi, Zaeem Qadri, and Zafar Mirza.[7][3] They also announced that a formal outline of the party's goals and policies would be published in the coming weeks.[8]

Ideology

[edit]

During the formal launching ceremony on 6 July 2024, Abbasi was asked of AP's ideology. He answered that the "concept of left and right has died in Pakistan" and that their ideology would be "helping the people of Pakistan and taking responsibility for them".[8]

In an interview with Arab News, Ismail commented on the economic policy of the party, stating the need to "extend tax concessions to middle-income and salaried classes, focus on privatization, limit the government’s footprint by encouraging the private sector and privatize the public organizations".[26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 4,685 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Bokhari, Jawad (2024-07-01). "Awaam Pakistan — enter stage right". Dawn. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  3. ^ a b c "'Open for all': Ex-PMLN leaders Miftah Ismail, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi launch new party Awaam Pakistan". DAWN. 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  4. ^ a b Ayub, Imran; Rehman, Atika (2024-06-21). "Miftah Ismail, Khaqan Abbasi launch 'Awaam Pakistan' party". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  5. ^ "Former Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi launches new party 'Awaam Pakistan'". Deccan Herald. 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
  6. ^ "'Tainted politicians won't be part of Awam Pakistan': Khaqan, Miftah launch new party". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  7. ^ a b "Ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Launches New 'Awam Pakistan' Party". The Friday Times. 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  8. ^ a b c Saleemi, Bahzad (2024-07-06). "Miftah, Ismail formally launch 'Awaam Pakistan' party". Samaa News.
  9. ^ "'Tainted politicians won't be part of Awam Pakistan': Khaqan, Miftah launch new party". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  10. ^ "Maryam Nawaz appointed PML-N senior vice president". The Express Tribune. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  11. ^ "PML-N Workers Swarm Airport As Maryam Nawaz Lands In Lahore". The Friday Times. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Maryam Nawaz New Role In PMLN Irks Top Party Cadre". The Friday Times. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Maryam's elevation furthers Sharif political dynasty". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Khaqan quits as PMLN senior vice president". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Can CM Maryam Nawaz finally evolve from 'Nawaz ki beti' to 'Qoum ki beti'?". dawn.com. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  16. ^ "PMLN's Abbasi confirms he resigned from party post, says chief organiser Maryam should get 'open field'". Dawn. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  17. ^ "PML-N Not My Property: Maryam Reassures Abbasi In Model Town Meeting". The Friday Times. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  18. ^ Butt, Naeem Ashraf (16 December 2023). "Shahid Khaqan Abbasi decides to 'quit' PML-N". ARY News. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Shahid Abbasi decides to 'quit' PML-N". Pakistan Observer. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  20. ^ "If Maryam Nawaz Is Not Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's Leader, Who Is?". The Friday Times. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Former finance minister Miftah quits PMLN". brecorder. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  22. ^ Butt, Naeem Ashraf (16 December 2023). "Shahid Khaqan Abbasi decides to 'quit' PMLN". ARY News. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  23. ^ Ayub, Imran (2023-06-25). "Disillusioned with politics, Miftah resigns from party position". dawn.com. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  24. ^ Abbasi, Ansar (2023-07-27). "Miftah confirms 'Reimagining Pakistan' trio testing waters for launch of party". The News International. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  25. ^ Rehman, Atika (2024-06-21). "Miftah Ismail, Khaqan Abbasi launch 'Awaam Pakistan' party". dawn.com. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  26. ^ "New Pakistan political party to focus on economic reform, reduce government footprint, founder says". Arab News. 2024-06-23. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
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