PTI unveils election manifesto

 

ISLAMABAD: With less than two weeks away from February 8 elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sunday announced its election manifesto, promising social and constitutional reforms and the formation of a truth and reconciliation commission to address injustices.

Some of the catchy slogans written on the first page of the document are: Ba-Ikhtiyar Awam, Khushal, Azad Pakistan: Towards a Bright Future, Roshan Ho Ga Humara Mustaqbal; Islamic Welfare State: Riyasat-e-Madina (Not a theocratic state) and No Prosperity without Justice and the Rule of Law.

PTI’s senior leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who himself is contesting from NA-10, Buner, said the title of the manifesto is ‘Shandaar Pakistan, Shandaar Mustaqbil aur Kharaab Maazi sey Chutkara’.

He said the party leaders who compiled the document were unable to attend the press conference over fears of being arrested. He said the manifesto envisages to form a truth and reconciliation commission to address the injustices faced by the common man.

As a pivotal mechanism within this transformative strategy, PTI proposes the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and that this commission will be endowed with significant powers to administer a healing touch, redressing historical wounds and fostering a state characterised by compassion and inclusivity.

To build a just and equitable future, the proposed commission’s mandate extends beyond reconciliation; it aims to eradicate the remnants of an unjust past. This involves proposing constitutional amendments and ensuring enduring reparations for the country and its people. PTI envisions a future where exploitative practices cease to exist and all citizens enjoy equal rights and opportunities.

At the core of the commission’s work is an unwavering commitment to uncompromising justice for all. This commitment seeks to restore the long-compromised dignity and self-respect of the people, paving the way for a just, equitable and harmonious future for Pakistan.

As regards constitutional reforms, the document aims at empowering a directly elected prime minister and proposing a shift towards a more inclusive, representative parliamentary democracy and the plan advocates for the direct election of prime minister.

The prime minister will form a cabinet of advisers and experts chosen from the National Assembly, ensuring qualified individuals in key positions to propel the nation forward to prosperity and to bolster accountability and responsiveness to citizens’ needs.

The manifesto promises extending (reducing) legislative terms to four years.

The document talks about inclusivity in the judiciary, as PTI commits to diversifying the judiciary by appointing judges based on merit, diversity, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background: special emphasis will be placed on increasing the number of female judges for a balanced gender perspective.

Under the heading of New Social Contract for a New Social Order, the manifesto envisages strengthening the institution base of the country: strengthening the pillars of the state; all powerful institutions to be made subservient to serve the nation as defined in the Constitution of Pakistan and all to be equal in front of law and the state institutions’ role would be restricted to service only.

The party promises revamping the Legal Frameworks for Relevance: the objective is to realign the legal framework with contemporary justice demands: it promises launching a thorough legal review; focus on updating laws such as the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), and to ensure it meets the requirements of justice and fairness in the current context.

The manifesto addresses ‘Governance Challenges and Accessible Justice’: PTI acknowledges the adverse impact of poor governance on the populace and economic growth. PTI intends comprehensive reforms laid out in the detailed section.

“We give a ten-year plan and a blueprint of economic growth and tax collection for the development of the people without creating extra burden on those who pay taxes: PTI believes that while we will take the poorest of the poor as state responsibility, but we will never strangulate entrepreneurship in the country.”

It aims at continuity of ‘Radical Transformation of the Economy’. The comprehensive economic reforms initiated in 2018 aimed at transforming the growth model towards export-led growth; overhaul in tax policy and compliance, governance, institutional reforms to be undertaken leading to substantial progress.

The manifesto is to focus on areas for improving the nation’s economic health: There is a focus on labor-intensive sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and construction, fostering job creation and economic resilience, renegotiated tariffs for consumer relief; marginal cost pricing for consumption.

“Our vision includes pursuing peaceful coexistence with all other countries of the world, particularly our neighbours and regional countries. We shall also endeavour to maintain and further promote our special relations with countries of the Muslim world as well as our all-weather ally China. We will raise issues of Islamophobia and unite Muslim nations in advocating for justice and granting equitable rights to people of oppressed nations. This regional and global engagement aims for inclusive diplomacy and cooperation on shared challenges,” it says about the foreign policy.

PTI leader Gohar said that they were not being allowed to carry out their election campaign in the country. He added the Election Commission should ensure no hurdles are created in the way of PTI’s electioneering. He alleged what to talk of level-playing field, they were not even provided a field and the party’s election symbol had been taken away also.

Referring to the cipher case, he claimed that the principles of justice and Constitution were being ignored and against the consent of the accused, government lawyers were appointed by the judge.

Meanwhile, 63 workers of PTI were arrested in Peshawar after they clashed with the police at different places when they took to the streets on Sunday. Police officials said the clashes took place at a number of places on the Ring Road, inner city and suburbs of the provincial capital when police tried to stop the protesters.

“Some 63 political workers were arrested when they clashed with the police or created law and order situation during the protests,” said the spokesman for the Peshawar Police.

Rallies were also staged in the upper parts of Hazara. PTI activists came on the roads in Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan districts to seek the release of Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan never indulged in riots anywhere in the country and should be released without any delay,” Kamal Saleem Swati, a local PTI leader, told a rally in Mansehra. In a show of solidarity with Imran Khan, the participants of the rally made their way out to the Abbottabad Road from the Insaf Secretariat after breaking the police personnel cordon. The district administration had invoked Section 144, banning rallies and gatherings and assembly of four and more people in its jurisdiction. Rallies were also taken out in Shinkiari, Baffa, Jabori, Oghi and other parts of the Mansehra district.

Meanwhile, Karachi’s Teen Talwar Sunday turned into a battle ground after the PTI clashed with the police. Around half a dozen policemen, including SHO, were injured after the PTI workers pelted them with stones. The police also charged them with batons and used teargas shells to disperse them and also took around two dozen people including PTI representatives into custody.

PTI had announced a rally from Sharae Quaideen to the Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum on Sunday; however, tension prevailed when scores of PTI workers and supporters, including the party’s candidates and local leaders contesting the upcoming general elections, started gathering from across the city at Teen Talwar in upscale Clifton locality.

A large contingent of police surrounded the PTI workers and instructed them to clear the road. The workers became agitated and started chanting slogans. The police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the workers. The PTI workers threw stones and engaged in violent behaviour, preventing the police from using water cannon.

In the chaos, PTI activists hurled stones and attacked the police with batons. A stone hit Boat Basin SHO Riaz Ahmed on head, causing severe injuries. The police, seeing the agitated crowd, left SHO Riaz behind and fled. However, media present at the scene rescued SHO Riaz from the crowd and rushed him to a private hospital for treatment.

The police then closed the Teen Talwar Road and detained the miscreants for attacking the police and creating a law and order situation. The police also detained PTI leader Fahim Khan and regional officials and workers and shifted them to different police stations. Moreover, various channels’ camerapersons and reporters present to cover the rally were also subjected to violence by the police.

DIG South Syed Asad Raza took notice of mistreatment of journalists and camerapersons at Teen Talwar. “Incidents of this nature cannot be tolerated,” DIG Raza said. “The perpetrators of violence against journalists will be identified and action will be taken against them.”

“We are currently verifying the details to determine the total number of people injured and how many have been taken into custody,” said SSP South Sajid Saduzai while talking to The News.

The PTI spokesperson claimed that 30 of their workers were detained while Fahim Khan was released.

Meanwhile, the police crackdown on PTI workers continued in Bahawalpur district on Sunday. In Ahmad Pur East, police cracked down on PTI women workers near Chowk Chacha Basti. According to PTI candidate for NA-168 Kanwal Shozab, police teams unlawfully cracked down on the women activists when they were taking out a rally on the call of their party founding chairman and beat the women activists. In Bahawalpur, a Civil Line Police Station team led by SHO stormed the PTI workers outside the Bahawalpur Press Club as they reached there to take out a rally. Pokice personnel also broke the cell phone of a journalist who was making video of police crackdown and police personnel also damaged motor bikes of journalists standing outside the Press Club.