Genesis:

The founding conference of a new political party, named the Awami Party ( Pakistan ), was held in Rawalpindi , on the 8th and 9th of November 2008. It was attended by a wide cross section of people including peasants, workers, women's and minority rights' activists and progressive political workers from all four provinces, federal capital, Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir. The participants discussed the objectives and framework for the party manifesto and took decisions regarding the future course of action. It was decided that the focus of the party will be to safeguard the fundamental rights of people and promote equitable progress and development across the country.

The party will pursue policies based on equality and social justice. It will develop a strong economy based on egalitarian principles. The party will adopt an independent foreign policy. Conditions will be created to ensure that direct and indirect military interventions are eliminated. End to militancy, sectarianism and religious extremism will be ensured. Agricultural reforms including land redistribution and growth in agricultural produce will be undertaken. Industrial development especially from national entrepreneurs will be encouraged and labour rights will be protected. Quality Education without discrimination and a uniform standard of education for all children will be ensured, and health, housing and fundamental municipal services will be provided. All discriminatory laws against women and religious minorities will be repealed. FCR will be abolished. Overseas Pakistanis will be given the right to vote.

More than 400 women and men related to different professions and from varying social backgrounds attended the conference and decided to hold a country-wide party convention within one year. In the meanwhile intensive mobilization will be undertaken at the grassroots level across Pakistan and local leadership will be fostered. A 55 member convening committee was formed and a Central Convening Committee comprising 14 members was elected. The Central Convening Committee includes Dr. Hassan Nasir (Central Convener), Mirza Maqsood, Farhat Perveen, Ramzan Memon, Mehmal Sarfaraz, Abdul Rauf Khan, Aurangzeb Khan, Raza Tanoli, Shahab Khattak, Mehrab Baloch, Younus Baloch, Bushra Jafar, Qamar Iqbal and Harris Khalique.

Those who were nominated to finalize the party manifesto and constitution in the light of suggestions made on the draft document presented to the conference included Ashfaque Salim Mirza, Mazhar Arif, Nazeer Mahar, Nasreen Azhar, Zahid Elahi and Rao Tariq Latif. Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Shabana Arif and Naeem Mirza were nominated for the Media and Publications Committee.