Former PML-N leaders Miftah Ismail and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi launched on Saturday a new party named Awaam Pakistan, saying that it was unlike traditional political parties.

“The vision of the party is to provide Pakistanis with equal economic opportunities,” Ismail said at the launching ceremony of the party. “Awaam Pakistan will not follow the hereditary politics or the concept of a messiah.”

Last month, Abbasi appeared on Aaj News show Rubaroo where he disclosed that the new political party’s name would be ‘Awaam Pakistan’.

Abbasi, once a close confidant of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, parted ways with the party after the N-league changed its “vote ko izzat do” narrative. He was of the view that it would be a “challenge” for Nawaz to revive the party.

“If you believe that we have the right to move forward […] then join us, we will stand with you and rebuild Pakistan,” Ismail said. “No senior party member will serve more than two terms. Nor will their children come and take their position. We are not going to have dynasties or cults of personality here, we will operate on merit.”

Ismail, who served twice as the finance minister in the past, shared the new party’s goal when he appeared on Spotlight with Munizae Jahangir earlier this week.

Firstly, he said that the party wants to give the opportunity to every Pakistani, irrespective of their gender, caste, and religion, to lead by giving them education, health, basic income and a job after graduation.

Secondly, Ismail added that the party wants to empower depressed youngsters and free them from the controlling mechanism in the country.

At the launch, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claimed that Awaam Pakistan was an “unconventional party” and it was different from the traditional, structured political party.

“Anyone can take a group of electables, establish some internal structure and call themselves a political party,” he said, “we have not invited anybody in yet, we’ve simply presented an idea. When we’re ready, we’ll reach out and begin talking to people.”

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Abbasi added that anyone can take a group of electables, establish some internal structure and call themselves a political party. “We have not invited anybody in yet, we’ve simply presented an idea. When we’re ready, we’ll reach out and begin talking to people.”

At one point, he said that he gets asked a lot whether he has the permission of the establishment to launch the new party. “This is the point we’ve arrived at. In this country, the common man believes that nothing can happen without the establishment’s say-so. They think that the parties can’t do anything, and that is because the establishment has made these parties,” he said.