Justice and equality for all!

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday unveiled its 12-point election manifesto ensuring justice and equal opportunities to all segments of the society, making Pakistan an Islamic welfare state, uprooting of all sorts of injustices and exploitations, introduction of an sovereign foreign policy based on friendly ties with all states on the basis of transparency, mutuality of interests and respect for sovereignty.

“All governance in cities and towns will go to the municipality and the city government will raise revenue for city development. Primary healthcare for the poor and elderly will be free. The policy of fighting war for others and act as a surrogate for any power will not pursue any further. Nation building will be a priority and its natural resources will be exploited for development of the country and would also benefit the people living in resource rich areas. Pakistan’s strategic location will be used to strengthen the nation by becoming a lucrative trade and energy corridor and take economic advantage of it,” said the PTI chief Imran Khan while outlining the party’s manifesto.

PTI President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umer, Shafquat Mahmood, Jahangir Tareen, Dr Shireen Mazari, Imran Ismail, Naeem-ul-Haq, Dr Israr Shah, Faisal Javed Khan and others were also present on the occasion.

“It is not possible for parties who have destroyed the country to bring reforms in the country,” he said.

He added that two major political parties had taken many turns but never had brought reforms in the government departments. These parties have not allowed the shifting of power to local level. “PTI will transfer power to grass root level by holding local government elections in three months time,” he said, adding that other political parties had not taken such steps.

Imran Khan said that corruption had become a major issue of the country and the PTI would wipe out this curse within 90 days after coming into power, adding that the PTI’s manifesto was not based on slogans but it was formulated after case to case study, so there should be no ambiguity regarding its implementation.

He added that power outages would be brought to end within two to three years.

He said defense spending would be rationalised and the defense Budget would be debated on in the parliament with in-camera sessions, according to the sensitivity of the issue. He said PTI would eliminate the railway ministry and departments like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would be made autonomous. He said PTI would reduce the number of ministries because other parties had used this tool as political bribe, adding that his party would also depoliticise the bureaucracy and police.

Imran Khan said Pakistan Television (PTV) would also be made an autonomous body during the tenure of PTI.

“PTI recognises the scourge of terrorism and its devastating effect on Pakistan in the form of intolerance, fear and hate, hence, it stands committed to fight for the betterment of Pakistan,” said Imran Khan,

He added that agricultural reforms would also be put in place and a 15 percent agriculture tax would be introduced on land holdings exceeding 50 acres, while domestic industry would be encouraged and flowered.

“We will computerise all the land-related data and the infamous patwari system would be replaced with a computerised system to facilitate the community,” said Khan, adding that his party seeks to establish a social and political order in Pakistan where equal opportunity exists for each citizen in every walk of life.

“PTI is the party of the ordinary Pakistani and elected representatives from grassroots, up to the chairman stand committed to provide better a future to the people of Pakistan. PTI stands for an effective government with merit and the legacy of misrule and misery by corrupt inept elite will become history. We have a mission to build a Naya Pakistan on Iqbal’s dream and Jinnah’s vision – encapsulated in an Islamic Welfare,” he added.

Khan said PTI gave over 35 percent electoral tickets to youngsters.

“PTI will ensure a move towards the achievement of a welfare state where every citizen can live in peaceful security and prosperity with no discrimination,” he said.

“In order to make Pakistan a welfare state, one system of education for all its citizens should be ensured, besides equal opportunity and healthcare and a social safety net for the unemployed. In addition, primary healthcare for the poor and elderly will be free,” he added.

He said PTI has focused on policies for the minorities, labour (including agricultural), youth, women, and persons with disabilities to ensure no discrimination. PTI also recognises the overseas Pakistanis as a valuable asset for the country and has outlined a policy for improving their access to Pakistan and its development.

“The economic policy will be governed in a way to promote fast-paced industrial growth and to ensure job creation.  It will ensure that a minimum wage of labor is commensurate with the inflation level in the country. To fast track development within the first 100 days, PTI will take full advantage of the natural resource of the country like copper and coal,” he said.

Imran Khan said that for the first time in history any political party has formed a detailed policy on the basic issues being faced by the country, adding that other political parties were no match to our policy.

He said that the PTI had fulfilled promises made with the public.

“For the first time in country’s history, PTI will hold fair intra-party elections. PTI has not been doing politics for the sake of power whereas the other parties were taking every step just to come into power again,” said PTI Chairman.

Imran Khan said that the PTI was not depending upon electables, whereas other major parties were dependent on electables who always blackmail these parties by making forward blocks. He made it clear that PTI has unveiled its manifesto after a thorough study.

“We have thoroughly studied the topic of corruption after which we announced that after coming into power PTI would wipe out the corruption within 90 days,” he said.

Replying to a question, Imran Khan said PTI’s popularity graph has gone up after the March 23 rally in Lahore.