Parcham
Parcham پرچم | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Babrak Karmal (1967–1986) Mohammad Najibullah (1986–1990) |
| Founder | Babrak Karmal |
| Founded | June 1967 |
| Dissolved | 27 June 1990 (35 years, 264 days) (succeeded into Democratic Homeland Party) |
| Preceded by | Social Democratic Party of Afghanistan |
| Succeeded by | National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan National United Party of Afghanistan Democratic Homeland Party |
| Membership | near 10,000 (1977) 150,000 (1986 est.) |
| Ideology | Afghan nationalism Marxism-Leninism Progressivism Secularism Sovietism |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| National affiliation | People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan |
Parcham (Pashto/Dari: پرچم, lit. 'banner' or 'flag') was the more moderate socialist faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) led by Afghan communist politician Babrak Karmal. It was later turned into the Watan (Homeland) Party of Afghanistan with a more Islamic outlook under Mohammed Najibullah. The faction was formed directly after the founding of the Party in 1965 following ideological splits in the PDPA. While the Parchamites stressed the need for swift social-economic reforms to achieve revolution, this was in direct contrast with their PDPA rivals, the Khalqists, who sought an immediate and violent overthrow of the government. Karmal believed that Afghanistan was not developed enough for a Leninist revolutionary approach and instead sought a patriotic and anti-imperialist united front to take the next steps toward revolution.