A party’s declaration is its most vital document. Moreover, the declaration of the Awami League bears even greater significance as the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, actively participated in its drafting. Therefore, we have uploaded the full declaration here for public awareness and understanding.
Upon entering the decade of the 1970s, the people of Pakistan faced challenges unlike those encountered by any other nation. The hopes and aspirations that were awakened among the masses following the creation of Pakistan and the attainment of independence have been overwhelmed by despair and a sense of deprivation. The pledge of independence was not merely the establishment of a new state, but also the creation of a just society and a vibrant democracy—one in which people would truly taste freedom, where justice and equality would prevail. This pledge, regrettably, remains unfulfilled.
Democracy was never allowed to take root. Instead, a succession of narrow interest groups — “cliques” — have unjustly seized the people’s power. These cliques, driven by their selfish motives, have consolidated political authority and wealth in their own hands, reducing millions across Pakistan to victims of exploitation. As a result, freedom has not delivered emancipation, but rather deepened servitude.
The challenges our society faces today are severe and tangible. Our resources are woefully inadequate in proportion to our rapidly growing population. The two wings of the country are separated by over a thousand miles, making the task of building a harmonious society inherently more complex. For over twenty-two years, this responsibility has been largely ignored. Instead, we have witnessed a handful of the privileged elite striving relentlessly to hoard power and wealth. Consequently, the task before us has become even more complicated.
Today, the working people of both urban and rural areas have awakened. They are no longer willing to tolerate the denial of their rights. A nation of 120 million people cannot remain content under the control of a privileged few. They are determined to reclaim their legitimate rights from the clutches of this exploitative class. The people of Pakistan have begun to rebel against the systemic injustices imposed upon them—both between individuals and between regions.
The concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, coupled with blatant neglect of the rest, has rendered fundamental and immediate changes to the economic structure absolutely necessary. The stark disparity between East and West Pakistan is growing ever more alarming. The economy of East Pakistan now stands at the brink of collapse.
To rescue the regional economy from this impending disaster, it is essential to immediately empower regional governments with the authority to manage and direct their own economic affairs through full regional autonomy. Such reform is impossible without a fundamental transformation of the constitutional framework. Hence, the demand for constitutional restructuring has now become irresistible.
The people are our greatest asset. In order to enable the people to actively and collectively engage in rebuilding society based on justice, we must bring about a complete overhaul of the existing systems and structures. This demands a social revolution achieved through democratic means. For this, we require a new constitutional, political, and social framework. We now stand before this monumental challenge—a challenge that we must embrace, for our very existence depends upon it.
As inheritors of a colonial administrative legacy, we must dismantle the outdated institutional framework we received. Economic and social development institutions must now be redesigned to effectively serve the urgent needs of the people and society.
The establishment of the Awami League by the late Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was the first outward manifestation of a firm determination to secure the people’s rights through democratic struggle. That struggle continues to this day. Under repeated assault by ruling elites, countless families have been devastated, and many lives lost.
Indeed, the late Suhrawardy himself became a martyr in the service of the people. To keep the flame of freedom alive, thousands have sacrificed their lives. Many endured long periods of imprisonment, thereby being denied the taste of freedom; others lost their families, property, and livelihoods.
In the context of this rich and relentless tradition of people’s struggle, the Awami League has resolved to confront the challenges before us. The courage and determination required to do so have been drawn from our faith in the people, our trust in the nation, and, above all, our unshakable belief in the Almighty.
Thus, this declaration of the Awami League has been formulated with the aim of achieving a democratic revolution and, through it, replacing the existing structures of injustice with a new constitutional, political, economic, and social order—one that ensures justice between all regions and among all people. This document lays out a comprehensive framework to guarantee fairness for every region and every citizen of Pakistan.