Jamaat calls for proportional representation proposal in Charter referendum

The party urges the government to let citizens decide on the PR system through the vote

The Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded that the proposal for elections under a system of proportional representation (PR) be included in the referendum on the July Charter.

Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar made the call during a brief speech on Friday at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, ahead of a planned rally.

“We trust the sincerity of the head of the interim government,” he said. “But while you lead the government, you also chair the National Consensus Commission. I am not comfortable with both roles being held by one person.”

He added, “Some of the advisors around you are trying to push you [chief advisor] aside and show allegiance to a particular party. We don’t want to see this happening anymore.”

According to him, the referendum should be held based on Jamaat’s five-point demands, with PR among the proposals on the ballot.

“We’re saying, hold a public vote. Let’s see what the people think about PR. If the majority supports it, every party must accept the outcome,” Porwar said.

“If most people oppose the PR model, the Jamaat-e-Islami will respect that. But ignoring the issue without consulting the public is not acceptable,” he added.