18th Constitutional Amendment and rights of small nations in Pakistan

Constitutional Amendment and rights of small nations in Pakistan. We encourage you to send us a page or two (Maximum) on your behalf or on behalf of your organization to be read in this session.

Recently proposed constitutional changes through “18th Amendment” cause serious concerns in small nations of Pakistan. Throughout its history, the country has been governed by its elite, under military dictatorship or with selective freedoms for its peoples. As a result eastern wing of the country walked away from the union and remaining stakeholders have very little or no faith in the present setup.

Although the 1973 constitution of Mr. Bhutto imposed a top-down framework on small nations but that document has yet to see the light of the day. People of Balochistan have declared their intent to part ways whereas in Sindhi people are increasingly having doubts about their salvation within Pakistan.

Given the state of the union, the common sense and pro-active statecraft dictate making every effort to create sense of ownership in the constituent units instead of tightening the noose. Even high hopes of gaining individual and collective freedoms in a representative democracy are coming to a screeching halt.

Civic groups, political parties and thought leaders across the country including in the province of Punjab, Pakhtoonkhwa, Sindh, and Pakistani Diaspora in USA and Europe feels a need for sea change the way Pakistani constitution is framed. A consensus is emerging in favor of granting greater national autonomy to save Pakistan from disintegration.
Silver Lining International is pleased to provide its Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan for serious discourse on shaping of 18th Amendments and its pros and cons with respect to small nations in Pakistan.Read the rest of this entry »

Please join us on Saturday, April 17th at between 1 and 4 PM at the East West Grill in Arlington, VA.

Here is the address:

East West Grill

2721 North Wilson Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22201-3803
(703) 312-4888

Iqbal Tareen
President

Silver Lining International

1380 Monroe Street NW, # 435

Washington, DC 20010

(202) 747-2640

Iqbal.tareen@gmail.com