Omar Asghar Khan Awami Assembly 2010
"Democratic Governance and Social Justice"

Sungi development Foundation arranged 3-days Omar Asghar Khan Awami Assembly in head office Abbottabad from July 03-05, 2010. The theme of the assembly was “Democratic Governance and Social Justice”.  

Total 400 participants, including civil society representatives, lawyers, ex-local councilors, elected representatives, intellectuals and political party’s workers from four provinces, Giglit  Baltistan, FATA, Swat and AJK participated in the assembly.

Samina Khan Executive director Sungi welcomed the participants and stated the objectives of the assembly. Mukhtar Javed Manager Human Rights presented follow-up on the previous assemblies. Community handicrafts stall, Sungi’s programme stalls to show their 20 year progress, Allai PRDA project stall to show organic farming practices and product, video shows on Sungi 20 year progress, videos to commemorate Sungi Founding member Omar Asghar Khan, and Sungi, Shirkat Gah video on Water were among the other attractions of assembly.

Following four sub-themes of the assembly 2010 were;

• Performance of parliamentarian, electoral system,  judiciary, executive, and security institutions
• 18^th constitutional amendment and its repercussion, (provincial autonomy, devolution of power and new provinces )
• Economic aspects of social justice
• Climatic change and food security, threats to livelihood, water  and peace

Resource persons Najma Sadiq, Tahira Abdulla, Muhammad Ali Shah, Karamat Ali, Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Abbassi and member Rajia Sabha India Mani Shankar Ayar spoke on the sub-themes of the assembly.

The assembly concluded on the declaration read by Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Awan Director Operations.

Assembly Declaration: Following are the key point of assembly declaration; 

• Steps should be taken to implement the recommendations made by Sungi’s previous Awami assemblies.
• In the light of objective resolution 1940, struggle should be made for the revival of the spirit of state of Pakistan.
• Participatory democracy should be promoted in every sector of society.
• Each and every segment of society should be given right to be the part of parliament in order to make it more representative.
• Women should be give opportunity to be elected directly on reserve seats in the parliament.
• Superiority of the parliament should be ensured and the dissolution of parliament through un-constitutional means and ways should be stopped.
• Election process of  Pakistan senate should be changed and there should be direct election for this upper house.
• Election Commission of Pakistan should be made completely independent body
• Local Government system should be given constitutional cover and changes should be made in LGO without affecting its true essence
• All the institutions including judiciary, administration and parliament should be made accountable to the masses.
• For independent judiciary, the selection process of judges should be changed and this process should be completed through public scrutiny
• Interference of security agencies in politics should be stopped
• Social security net should be extended to deserving person and special allowances should be given to unemployed and old citizen
• There should be a struggle for the rights given in the constitution and all the article related to principles of policy should be implemented
• Conducive working environment should be ensured for civil society organization so that they can work for the welfare of the people and play watchdog role for the state institution’s reform.
• Government should think seriously to form small provinces. And this issue should be solved through legal process and under the Constitution in parliament.
• Yellow journalism should be discouraged
• Census should be regularly done after 10 year
• Data of various state institutions should be made correct and it should be easily accessible to all people.
• Need based budget should be formed and deduction in social sector allocation should be exempted and article 29 section 2 should be amended in this regard.
• Government should ensure 10% of the GDP for health and education
• Health and education services should be provided to the people on equal footings
• Interference of multinational companies in the local trade should be stopped
• Hybrid seeds, pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers should be banned and steps should be taken promote organic farming.
• Proper measure should betaken to protect and promote forest cover
• Small dams should be constructed to utilize them for cheap energy and water for irrigation
• In order to overcome the energy crisis, alternate cheap and people and environment friendly energy sources should be identified and tapped.
• Small farmers should be given subsidy in agro inputs
• Tehsil Allai of district Battagram should be declared organic valley
• Necessary steps should be taken to promote peace
• The work of rehabilitation and reconstruction should be speeded up in the terrorist hit area and work should be done on participatory basis and transparent way.
• Army action in Balochistan should be stopped immediately and missing persons should be recovered.
• Democratic process should be started in FATA and political, legal and administrative reforms should be made in this area.
• FATA should be included in NFC award
• Foreign aid for FATA should be made public for its transparent use
• Army action should be made focused and away from civilian population
• Army audit should be started and military budget should be curtailed
• People of Gilgit and Baltistan should be given fundamental rights and liberties
• Measures should be taken to solve Kashmir issue and Kashmiris of both sides should be given easy access to meet and engage in trade.
• Rights of differently able person should be ensured and government should abide by various national international the convention in this regard. 
• Industry of fishery should be revived and it should not be linked to the trade and other matters of developed countries
• Good working relationship should be established with Neighbor countries
• NFC award should be implemented immediately
• Compensation package should be given to the heirs of martyrs in war against terror
• Religious leaders and political parties should openly give their stand point on terror
• School curriculum should be reviewed and redesigned and history of sub-continent should be rewritten in its true historical perspective.
• Laws should be made for private schools
• All debts local or foreign should be taken after the approval of parliament
• A full mandated committee of parliament should work on the previously taken loan and advise government in this regard
• All the undemocratic article in 18^th amendment should be abolished
• Foreign loan taken during the period of dictator should not be returned back
• Drone attacks should be stopped immediately
• Consumer courts in KPK prince should be established
• Laws should be made to stop marriages at early age