Just when political tension in the country is on the rise acquiring threatening overtones and main political forces at each other’s throat, former federal minister Humayun Akhtar came up with something creative to serve as food for thought for all political stakeholders.
“Road Map to Pakistan’s Recovery”, as the manifesto of his party, is a little handy book that has all answers to problems faced by the country with Humayun weaving two decades of his political and eight years’ ministerial experience. The book covers 25 areas and makes 250 recommendations, including answers to the quest for political stability, strengthening of institutions, geo-political compulsions and how to achieve peace in the region and last but not least how to address the prevailing economic predicament.
Humayun thinks that he produced something also acknowledging the contribution of other party leaders’ ‘wholesome agenda’ that could provide basis for future debate in the country. “Political stakeholders could find a common ground banking on this agenda,” he hoped.
Though the book has discussed in detail all challenges faced by the country and contains interesting details, some important points raised are briefly touched. On terrorism, the Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded contends in the book that terrorism has reached a point where it poses a direct, long term, existential threat to Pakistan. It proposes that causes of extremism in society should be addressed.
With respect to Afghanistan, the party said that Afghans must make their decisions themselves without any external pressure. The creation of additional provinces in Pakistan has been supported and constitutional reforms proposed to simplify the process to create new provinces.
The movements for restoration of Bahawalpur province and creation of Saraiki and Hazara provinces have been supported. It has been proposed that all senior bureaucratic appointments should follow the same procedures as those of judges, chief election commissioner and chairman NAB. Civil services reforms have been promised. Local government system is to be reinstated and all land records in Pakistan are to be computerised. The Pakistan Muslim League said that IMF should not be relied upon and all macro-economic stability can be achieved by Pakistan itself.
