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CONSTITUTION

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CONSTITUTION OF THE AWAMI NATIONAL PARTY

CHAPTER 1

NAME
The name of the party shall be "Awami National Party".

Flag of the Party
The party shall have a red-colour flag.

Central Office
The Central Office of the Party shall be at 'Bacha Khan Markaz'.

Membership
For the purpose of elections, the membership period shall be for four years. Every citizen of Pakistan of 16 years and above; having agreed to the Party's basic ideology and manifesto and having accepted the responsibility to publicize it shall be accepted as a member after signing the party's form on payment of Rs5/ as membership fee, provided that he/ she is not already member of another party.

Party's structure
The structure of the party shall consist of the following institutions:

1	Central Council
2	Central Executive Council
3	Central Cabinet
4	Central Parliamentary Party
5	Central Election Office

2. Party in the National Units

The party in the National Units shall consist of the following institutions:

a	Executive Councils of the National Units i.e. Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Saraeki
b	Cabinets of National Units
c	Parliamentary Boards of National Units
d	Parliamentary Parties of National Units
e	Volunteer groups of National Units
f	District, Tehsil (Taluka/ Tappa), Wards/ Primary Committees of National Units
g	Election Commissions of National Units

CHAPTER 2

CENTRAL COUNCIL
The Central Council shall be the supreme and sovereign body of the Party
Formation of the Central Council

1	The Central Council shall consist of 600 members, fifty percent (300) of which shall be distributed amongst the National Units on the basis of membership forms while the remaining 50% shall be equally distributed amongst the National Units.
2	For the purpose of formation of the Central Council, the election commission of each Unit shall send Membership Forms Report to the Central Election Commission in writing. The Central Election Commission shall record the report of membership forms in a prescribed register and shall allocate the number of members for the Central Council on the basis of membership forms and shall inform the each Election Commission in the National Units about this in written form.
3	The Central President shall have the power to nominate 25 members in addition to the 600 members Central Council. The members National and Provincial Assemblies, the Senators and President and General Secretary of each National Unit shall be members of the Central Council by virtue of their designations.

Meeting of the Central Council

The Central Council shall meet at least once a year, which shall be presided by the Party's President and, in his absence, by the Senior Vice President.
Procedure to Summon Meeting of the Central Council
The Secretary General of the Party, in consultation with the President, shall issue at least a two weeks notice, along with agenda, to the members of the Central Council for a Meeting.

Emergency meeting
The Secretary General, in consultation with the President, shall summon an emergency meeting on a one-week notice. The rest of the proceedings shall be the same as for a normal meeting.

Quorum for the Central Council Meeting
The quorum for the meeting of the Central Council shall be 1/4th of its members.

Requisitioning Meeting of the Central Council by Members
1/4th members of the Central Council can requisition a meeting by issuing a written notice, along with agenda, in the name of the Secretary General of the Party. On receipt of the notice, the Secretary General, after consultation with the President, shall be bound to summon a meeting of the Council within two weeks. The agenda of the meeting shall be the one provided by the requisitioning members.

CHAPTER 3

Powers and functions of the Central Council
The Central Council shall have the following powers and functions:

1	To elect a Central Cabinet for a 4-year period and elect members of the Central Executive Council from each National Unit.
2	To amend and abrogate manifesto and constitution of the Party: Amendment and abrogation of the Party's constitution and manifesto shall be effected by 2/3rd majority of the present members of the Central Council, provided that the number of members present in the meeting shall not be less than half of the total members of the Central Council.
3	To approve a no-confidence motion against an office-bearer of the Central Cabinet and to elect a new office-bearer in case of approval of the no-confidence motion.

A no-confidence motion shall be presented in the Council meeting after issuing a notice to 1/4th members of the Council. If the motion is passed by a simple majority of the Council members, the office-bearer against whom the motion is passed shall be deemed to have lost his/ her office and the Council shall elect a new office-bearer for the vacated office.

CHAPTER 4

CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Central Executive Committee shall be the supreme executive body of the Party.
Formation of the Central Executive Council

A	The Central Executive Committee shall comprise of 15 elected members from each Unit, besides members of the Central Cabinet. In addition, every President and Secretary General of each Unit and members of Parliament of the Party shall be ex-officio members of the Central Executive Committee.
B	In addition to the above, the Central President, in his discretion, shall nominate 10 members from the Central Council to the Central Executive Committee.
C	No office-bearer can be re-elected for the third time for the same office, after serving in it for two consecutive terms. However, the Central Council, by adopting the procedure for amendment/ abrogation of the constitution, can exempt a person from this clause to take part in election for the same office for the third time.

Meeting of the Central Executive Committee
The Central Executive Committee shall hold, at least, three meetings in a year i.e once after every four months. The Secretary General shall circulate notices and agenda of the meeting to the members. In case of emergency meeting, a five days notice shall be compulsory.

Quorum
1/4th members of the Central Executive Committee shall constitute the quorum for its meetings.

Procedure to summon emergency meeting
1/4th members of the Central Executive Committee can issue a notice to requisition a meeting, provided that agenda of the meeting is attached with the notice.

The Secretary General shall convene a meeting of the Central Executive Committee in consultation with the Central President within ten days of the receipt of notice and agenda. The meeting shall have only the agenda, which was received with the notice.

CHAPTER 5

Powers and functions of the Central Executive Committee
The Central Executive Committee shall have the following powers and functions:

1	The Central Executive Committee shall be the supreme executive body of the Party.
2	The Central Executive Committee shall perform the following functions:

I	To devise policies and implement them in the light of the Party's manifesto.
II	To struggle for the Party's aims and objectives.
III	To gather all necessary information for the achievement of the aims and objectives of the Party and provide it to the members of the Central Executive Committee.
IV	To appoint sub-committees for the various functions of the Party and to supervise the work of the sub-committees.
V	To pass resolutions, in accordance with the Party's manifesto, and take steps for their implementation in the light of the aims and objectives of the Party and in view of the problems being faced by the people.
VI	To prepare annual budget of the Party; approve income and expenditure and to audit the accounts of the Party itself or through another institution
VII	To approve expenditures incurred by the President and Secretary General in their discretion.
VIII	To perform all those functions approved by the Central Council.
IX	To supervise the work of the National Units Party and subordinate bodies and to take disciplinary actions against them as needed.
X	To take disciplinary action against a Party member and to give verdicts in appeals filed by members of the Party in decisions given in disciplinary action against them by National Units or lower organs of the Part
Xa	To consider cases of disciplinary actions taken by the Central President and to Endorse or reverse such decision by the Central President.
XI	To take action against those members of the Central Executive Committee who fail to attend three consecutive meetings of the Central Executive Committee
XII	To approve names of leaders of the Parliamentary Party in the Senate or National Assembly
XIII	To delegate powers or give directions to a member, office-bearer, committee or sub-committee of the Party
XIV	To arrange and supervise elections of the Party
XV	To collect funds for the Party and keep accounts of the expenditures
XVI	To take necessary steps for forming alliances or approve such alliances with other political parties or organizations on short or long-term basis for the achievement of the Party's aims and objectives
XVII	The Central Executive Committee shall appoint a student and labour affairs secretary, who shall be deemed a member of the cabinet.

CHAPTER 6

Central Parliamentary Party

a	Members of the National Assembly and Senate, who have been elected to these bodies on Party's tickets or joins the Party after having been elected as members, shall form a Parliamentary Party in the Senate and National Assembly, which shall elect its own Parliamentary leader and other office-bearers. The Central Executive Committee shall approve the election of the Parliamentary Party leader.
b	The Parliamentary Party shall be accountable before the Central Executive Committee in the performance of its duties.

CHAPTER 7

Volunteer Companies
Volunteer companies shall be organized at the National Units level. There shall be a Salar-e-A'ala (Chief Commander) to co-ordinate organization of the National Units' companies and supervise its work.

CHAPTER 8

Central Cabinet
The Central Cabinet shall comprise of the following office-bearers:

� President
� Senior Vice President
� 3 Vice Presidents
� Secretary General
� Deputy Secretary General
� 3 Joint Secretaries
� Secretary Finance
� Secretary Information
� Secretary Foreign Affairs
� Secretary Labour and Student Affairs
� Central Chief Commander

Powers and Functions of the Central Cabinet
President

The President shall be the Party's head and shall exercise all powers relating to the President. The President shall be responsible for supervising the work of the Party's office-bearers in the light of the Party Manifesto and Constitution
The President can suspend a member or office-bearer of the Party as a disciplinary measure, which shall be ratified by the Central Executive Committee in its first meeting.
The Party President can take a disciplinary action against a subordinate organ of the Party only with the approval of the Central Executive Committee.
The President shall preside over meetings of the Central Council, Central Executive Committee and Central Cabinet.
The President shall have the power to nominate members for the Central Council and Central Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution
The President shall have the power of spending Rs20000/ at a time, details of which shall be provided by the President to the Cabinet and the Central Executive Committee

Senior Vice President
In absence of the President, the Vice President shall be the acting President and shall exercise all powers of the President. Besides, the Senior Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of his/ her duties.

Vice Presidents
The Vice President shall exercise such powers and functions in his/ her Unit as shall be delegated to him/ her by the Central President or the Central Executive Committee.

Secretary General

Secretary General shall be the head of the Party's administrative affairs. Besides, he/ she shall supervise the work of the secretaries of various bureaus
Shall be responsible for keeping all records, files, papers and affairs of the Party's office.
Shall minute all proceedings of the meetings and shall present it for approval in the next meeting
Shall prepare annual reports, which shall be presented for approval in the meeting of the Central Council.
Shall convene meetings of the Central Council, Central Executive Committee and the Cabinet with the approval of the President. Besides, he/ she shall, in consultation with the President, call a meeting of the Central Council and the Central Executive Committee by requisition demand of the members. He/ she shall prepare agenda for each meeting and shall provide to the concerned members.
Shall appoint, in consultation with the President, office staff; determine terms and conditions of their service; and shall supervise and take disciplinary action against them, if so required.
Shall deliver collected funds to the Finance Secretary of the Party.
Shall chalk-out a program to run the affairs of the Party in line with the Constitution and shall take approval from the Central Executive Committee in this regard.
The Secretary General shall have the power to spend Rs10000/ from the Party's funds at a time.

Deputy Secretary General
The Deputy Secretary General shall be the acting Secretary General in his/ her absence and shall exercise all the powers of the Secretary General. Besides, the Deputy Secretary General shall perform all such duties as shall be assigned to him/ her by the Secretary General. He/ She shall assist the Secretary General in his/ her work.

Joint Secretary
Joint Secretary shall perform all such duties in his/ her Unit as shall be assigned to him by the Secretary General.

Secretary Finance

He/ she shall open a joint account in the name of the President, the Secretary General and the Finance Secretary, which shall be operative by any two signatures among them.
Shall deposit all cash in the Bank Account.
Shall keep a proper record of the income and expenditure of the Party and shall audit such the accounts of the Party.

Secretary Information

He/ she shall be responsible for propaganda and publicity of the Party.
Shall arrange press conferences and contacts as per directives of the President and the Secretary General. Besides, shall be responsible for publication of the Party's manifesto and constitution.

Secretary Foreign Affairs
He/ she shall be responsible for affairs of the Party in foreign countries and shall be answerable to the Central Executive Committee.

Secretary Student and Labour Affairs
He/ she shall keep contacts with labour federations and shall organize the subordinate organ of the Party in the students and shall supervise their activities.

Chief Commander
He shall be responsible for keeping contacts with the Volunteer Companies in the National Units and shall supervise their work.

Filling of a Vacant Office in the Cabinet
If an office-bearer of the Cabinet resigns from his office or becomes vacant due to any other reason, the Central President shall have the power to fill up such vacancy temporarily till next meeting of the Central Council.

CHAPTER 9

Party's Funds

The Party fund shall be raised through the following sources:

1/4th of the donations or membership fee raised by the National Units or subordinate organs of the Party shall allocate to the Central Fund of the Party.
Each member of the Central Council shall pay a monthly fee of Rs25/, which shall be deposited before a meeting of the Council
Each member of the Central Executive Committee shall pay a monthly fee of Rs50/ that shall be deposited before a meeting of the Central Executive Committee.
Each observer in the Central Council or Central Executive Committee meetings shall pay a fee of Rs100/

Audit
The Party's funds shall be audited at least once in a year, which shall be done or caused to be done by a committee appointed by the Central Executive Committee.

CHAPTER 10

Party's Elections

All office-bearers of the Central Council, Central Executive Committee, Central Cabinet and all other Party office-bearers shall be elected for a period of 4 years, however, they shall perform functions till next elections
Party elections shall take place at the Units level and each Unit shall elect, as per its constitution, its council, executive committee and members for the Central Council. The Central Council, which is the supreme and independent organ of the Party, shall elect members to the Central Executive Committee and Central office-bearers of the Party.

Central Election

The Central Executive Committee shall appoint a five-member election commission, which shall supervise Party elections in the entire country. The chairperson of the commission shall be elected by its members themselves.
The election commission shall chalk out its own procedure.
No appeal shall lie against decisions of the election commission.
Each Unit shall have an equal representation in the election commission.
The election commission shall hear all appeals in connection with Party's election received from all the National Units. Decision of the election commission shall be final.

CHAPTER 11

Each National Unit of the Party shall frame its own constitution in the light of its own peculiar conditions and shall not include any provision in them, which comes in conflict with provisions of the Central Constitution.
In view of the national severity of the national oppression, committees of the National Units can chalk out a joint program of action with other similar minded parties in their areas for the solution of those problems and for safeguarding their national interests, which are not against the spirit of the Party Program.
Each National Unit shall try its best to extend every possible help to an oppressed Unit.
The meetings of the Central Council and the Central Executive Committee shall be held in each province by rotation.