Islamabad Declaration, 2 October, 1998 (Extracts)

The Federation of Pakistan came into existence through the amalgamation of the historical national homelands of the 'Bengalis, Sindhis, Punjabis, Pushtoons, Seraikis and Balochs. The "association" of these nations into a single federal state was based on the social contract of 1940 Pakistan resolution that recognized the historical and geographical existence of the nations and homelands of the would be constituents of the new state granting them their autonomous and sovereign status.

Fifty years down the road the federation of Pakistan is passing through a grave period of multiple crisis ..

A state derives its legitimacy and power from the people. A federation derives its strength from the federating units. In Pakistan, the constant denial that it is a multi-national country of four federating units and five nations ... has been the cause of the failure of the state and the federation.

Unfortunately, myopic rulers, under the influence of the most populous and the most powerful province have constantly used force and applied instruments like Martial Laws and doctrine of necessity and slogans of Pakistan nation, brotherhood and Muslim Ummah to ... deny the people of the federating units of their political, economic, cultural and human rights ... We have gathered here ... to ponder over the question as to how to correct the listing ship of the country so that we the people of federating nations of Pakistan can save our peoples' and our common country from the impending threat to their very existence ... live in peace and harmony and develop and prosper.

Having ... considered the ... situation, we hereby resolve that urgent steps be taken to bring into being a new order based on the following principles:

Pakistan is a multinational country comprising of five nations namely Punjabis, Sindhis, Balochs, Pushtoons and Seraikis with their respective five homelands with existence of 5000 years.

All federating units including Seraikistan be autonomous and sovereign and will be referred to as a 'states' in the terms and spirit of 1940 resolution.

These states shall be the fountainheads of all power including finance and federation will be vested with only those powers, which the states confer on it by mutual agreement and consent.

The Pukhtoon federal unit shall be known as Phukhtoonkhwa and the Seraiki federal unit as Seraikistan.

Pushto, Seraiki, Balochi, Sindhi and Punjabi should be declared as national languages and each language and culture of the federating units be given equal opportunity and resources for development and progress.

Each federating unit should have proper and adequate representation in defence forces roughly commensurate with its population.

The principle of parity and equal representation to the people of all federating states in the federal bodies, services and other institutions should be made applicable with full force in the new order. ...

Adopted by:

Awami National Party, Pukhtoonkhwa Qaumi Party, Mazdoor Kisan Party, Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan National Party, Balochistan National Movement, Jamhoori Watan Party, Jiayee Sindh Party, Sindh Hari Committee, Anti-Kalabagh Dam Front, Sindh Rehbar Committee, Sindh Democratic Party, Sindh Saghir Party, Sindh National Congress, Hyderabad Action Committee, Jiyee Sindh Inquilabi Party and Sarayeki Rehbar Committee.