Emad Abdel Ghafour, who resigned as chairman of the Salafi Nour Party, is another step closer to formally establishing his new Islamist political force.

On Tuesday, Ghafour submitted 6,000 signatures from founding members of the Watan Party to the state Political Parties' Affairs Committee, describing the party as "a political entity that works for the advancement and building of the community, in general, and the citizen, in particular."

He added, "The platform adopts a number of strategies and plans that aim to achieve what the 25 January revolution has called for, including bread, freedom, social justice and human dignity.” According to Ghafour, the party’s platform was written based on recommendations from a number of “experts and university professors” as well as party members.

Watan Party has already established 30 offices nationwide, according to an official statement. Ghafour said more offices are in the works and would be would be inaugurated soon.

Yousry Hammad, Ghafour’s second in command, said the Watan Party is willing to work with others to achieve peace. "We emphasize the policy of gathering national competencies without exclusion, as we reject partisanship and dividing citizens into conflicting sects. The party is open to all," he said.

According to law, a political party becomes a legal entity 30 days if no formal complain is lodged. The Political Parties' Affairs Committee can lodge an objection and present it to the Supreme Administrative Court within eight days.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm