ISLAMABAD: Making “all powerful institutions subservient to the Constitution,” restricting the state institutions’ role to “service only”, carrying out constitutional reforms to allow the election of the prime minister directly by the people of Pakistan, establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission to “administer a healing touch, redressing historical wounds and fostering a state characterised by compassion and inclusivity,” and creation of Islamic welfare state — Riyasat-e-Madina — but not a theocratic state — are some of the key highlights of PTI’s general polls manifesto launched here on Sunday.
Titled “Shandaar Pakistan, Shandaar Mustaqbil Aur Kharaab Maazi Say Chutkara,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) manifesto promises: standing up for the downtrodden, investing in human capital, ensuring a healthy, educated population, improving the quality of life for the less privileged, respect for the human being not the wealth they posses, improving the nations ethical foundation based on teachings of Islam, and ensuring no one in the country goes to bed hungry.
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The key highlights of the manifesto also include: 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, all to be equal in front of law, state institutions’ role would be restricted to service only, enhancing democratic local governance for community empowerment, austerity in all spheres of government, less people, better paid, all perks monetised, compensation and promotion based on performance and competence not on years of service, inclusive education comprehensive national education system that offers both vocational and academic pathways, access to education for qualified and provision of affordable housing.
Unveiling the manifesto at a presser, Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan disclosed that the party leaders who prepared the manifesto did not attend the presser due to the fear of arrest.
In line with the manifesto, the PTI, if elected to power, will carry out a constitutional amendment to allow the people of Pakistan, instead of the members of National Assembly, to directly elected their PM, he said.
He said reforms would be done in criminal procedure code to ensure speedy justice to public.
On economic front, short-term and long-term reforms would be launched aiming at broadening the tax net, making the State Bank of Pakistan autonomous, incentivising the corporate sector as well as other initiatives, Khan said.
Under health reforms, the provision of Sehat Card for the provision of free healthcare to pubic would be extended across Pakistan under “Sehatmand Khushal Awam, Jiye Pakistan” initiative, he said.
Under education reforms, a uniform education system would be launched across the country aiming at ending the class divisions under “Parha Likha Pakistan, Hunarmand Pakistan,” the PTI chief said.
Khan said the PTI is the most popular political party of Pakistan but it is not allowed to run its election campaign.
He said the PTI has its own lawyers but they were being replaced with others lawyers by the judges in different cases concerning Imran Khan. Gohar Khan demanded of the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of this issue.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024