Parties agree to hold referendum to implement July Charter: Ali Riaz

Ali Riaz, Vice-Chairman of the National Consensus Commission, has announced that political parties have reached a consensus on holding a national referendum to implement the July National Charter. Speaking to reporters after the commission’s fourth round of dialogue with political stakeholders on Sunday, Riaz described the agreement as “the first major step” in the implementation process, stressing that public participation is essential to legitimising the charter’s proposed reforms. Following initial consultations on 11, 14 and 17 September, the commission allowed time for inter-party discussions. This led to a unified position in the fourth meeting on both the referendum and wider constitutional reforms. The commission also proposed that the legislative assembly formed after the February parliamentary elections be structured in a...