MQM-P proposes decentralisation of power, new provinces in manifesto

• Party promises long-term reforms in police, education, other government departments

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has revealed its manifesto for the upcoming general elections with a prime focus on decentralisation of power from central to local government and creation of new provinces.

The manifesto, titled “Empowered Pakistan”, was announced by party Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Saturday. On the occasion, Siddiqui said that his party, if voted to power, would introduce long-term reforms in the police, education and other departments.

Addressing the press conference, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that his party will continue its struggle to make Pakistan a welfare state as envisioned by the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and other founding leaders.

He said that MQM will also take concrete steps to promote education and increase literacy rate. He said that quota system must be abolished as it is damaging merit system.

He said we need to make the system of basic health units more efficient for this purpose we had to propose a 5 per cent increase in the health budget.

In the manifesto, the party proposed the creation of new provinces or administrative units within all the four provinces for efficient public service delivery and balanced growth for all the units simultaneously. It also called for strengthened local governments, which has been MQM-P’s core demand for a long time.

Devolution of power:

While announcing the key points of the manifesto, Siddiqui said that Pakistan was in dire need of good governance and claimed that decentralisation of power will improve the country’s system.

He said that the demand for devolution of power is in accordance with the constitution and referred to Article 140 of the Constitution that concerns the local government. According to Article 140, all political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority must be devolved to elected representatives of local governments.

MQM-P proposes full empowerment of representatives of local bodies and to abolish the unnatural six districts of Karachi thus restoring the city to its fully autonomous metropolitan corporation status.

Participatory democracy:

The party also proposed a transformation of the “traditional democracy” in the country into “participatory democracy” to end discriminatory allocation of distribution funds, recruitment of candidates without merit, postings and transfers of blue-eyed boys of those in power against key jobs etc.

It also proposed a change in electoral laws to make them more inclusive, besides the elimination of the quota system, increase in forums for youth and women at tehsil level to ensure their participation etc.

The MQM-P’s manifesto also proposes provision and easy access to basic facilities like health and education for the masses.

Economic policy:

The manifesto also addresses the economic challenges being faced by the country, including Pakistan’s placement on Financial Action Task Force’s grey list, and the solution to these problems.

It proposes measures to ensure an improvement in the economy in coming years, including increased checks and balances on “agents who are helping the unscrupulous big businesses to indulge in money laundering”. It also urges future authorities to stop setting artificial targets for growth and instead adopt a pragmatic approach to ease the situation.

The party also calls for a reduction in federal government’s spending, drastic cuts in the import of non-essential or luxury goods. Strengthening of public sector enterprises like PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills etc. is also included in the party’s recommendations.

Security:

In order to avoid confusion and strengthen the policing system, MQM-P manifesto proposes that the state establishes a unity of command under which the police and Sindh Rangers will be answerable to the provincial government.

The manifesto also calls for prison reforms and an upgrade in police infrastructure.