The Awami National Party’s (ANP) election manifesto promises a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan, ANP Senior Vice President Haji Muhammad Adeel said on Tuesday.
Presenting the part’s manifesto at a policy seminar, Adeel said, “Progress is only possible in a peaceful and stable environment, that’s why ‘Pur-AmnPakistan” is the ANP’s slogan for 2013 elections.”
The event, organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), was third in a series of seminars, planned to bring manifestos of political parties into discussion and their impact on electorates in the run up to the general elections.
Shakeel Ahmad Ramay of the SDPI moderated the proceedings.
Adeel said the ANP was committed to evolving a national consensus on extremism with peace as guiding principles. “The ANP believe in dialogue with militants who recognise constitution and the writ of state and renounce violence,” he added.
He said the ANP’s manifesto secured social and economic rights for all federating units of Pakistan as equal partners in the federation. Regarding status of FATA, he said, annexation of FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was possible but only in accordance with the wishes and expectations of people living in the Tribal Areas.”
Talking of ANP’s commitment to education, Adeel said the party would increase education budget to six percent of the GDP if came into power. “In the last five years of the ANP government, nine new universities were established along with campuses in every district of the province.”
“Also other measures such as free education to all in public schools and free uniform, textbooks and stipend of Rs 200 for each girl were some of the milestones of ANP’s resolve for promoting education in the province,” he added.
Commenting on economic reforms, the ANPleader said his party would increase the tax-to-GDP ratio from the current level to a minimum of 15 percent of the GDP.
He said the ANP government had initiated power projects with the capacity of 2200MW, which would cater to the energy needs of the province in years to come.