Parcham

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Parcham پرچم
Leader	Babrak Karmal (1967–1986) Mohammad Najibullah (1986–1987)
Founder	Babrak Karmal
Founded	1967
Dissolved	November 1987
Succeeded by	Watan Party
Ideology	Communism Islamic socialism Marxism-Leninism Afghan nationalism Anti-imperialism
Political position	Left-wing
Party flag
Politics of Afghanistan Political parties Elections

Parcham (Afghan Persian: 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 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.