ANP announces manifesto for upcoming polls

The Awami National Party on Sunday announced manifesto for upcoming elections.
The party has laid a maximum focus on peace, provincial autonomy, increasing budgetary allocation for education, promotion of trade and business activities and strengthening cordial relations with neighbouring countries.
ANP Senior Vice President Haji Adeel accompanied by former Senator Bashir Khan Matta and former MNA Bushra Gohar unveiled the 25-page manifesto in front of reporters. To bring peace and eradication of terrorism, the ANP rendered sacrifice of its 711 leading and active stalwarts and members, Adeel said. On such grounds, the ANP was determined to continuing struggle for return of peace, he added.
Adeel said the ANP believed in dialogue with all militants who recognise the writ of law and renounce violence.
“Even ANP leaders and workers are willing to forgive these militants for this purpose,” Adeel remarked. He, however, made it clear that the ANP would oppose all forms of violation of the country’s sovereignty and integrity and committed to evolving a national consensus to transform the state from a merely security state into a democratically developing welfare state.
He said that in the last five years, the ANP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had uplifted education standards and established new universities, colleges and schools, adding that education sector deserved more attention.
In this connection, the ANP gave assurance that it wold increase budget from four to six percent for education. In this connection, he said, maximum attention would be focused on imparting technical and vocational education.
Adeel said the ANP, with active involvement in adopting of 18th, 19th and 20th amendments in the constitution ensured maximum provincial autonomy and administrative reforms. He said in the future they would go the extra mile in this regard. He said efforts would be made to let KP Assembly make legislation for the Provincially Administrative Tribal Areas (PATA) and the National Assembly and Senate for the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA).
Regarding status of FATA, the ANP manifesto says, “It could be reformed and developed in according to wishes and expectations of tribesmen.”
However, the ANP believed annexation of FATA with KP is feasible. The ANP would ensure maximum representation to FATA representatives in the provincial cabinet. Such representation could ensure timely development of FATA and addressing genuine socio-economic needs of tribesmen.
Adeel said the ANP believed in exploitation of own resources for development and revival of economic disorder. In this respect, network of taxes could be reformed and extended but ratio of taxes could be reduced. Similarly, the ANP was determined to developing its own hydropower potential for meeting the energy needs.
The ANP would oppose discrimination and was determined to ensuring equal rights and opportunities to the people, he said. The ANP would oppose sectarianism and racism and would ensure right of speech and expression to people from all religions and schools of thought, he concluded.