Parties manifesto – An empty promise leading to diminishing returns
The parties manifesto provides tangible means for voters to assess and reward if political parties delivered on their pledges
Political parties are an essential component of a democratic state and without them the modern democracy is not conceivable.
These parties are expected to participate in an electoral campaign and carry out a political leadership role.
Therefore, in order to participate successfully in elections, the political parties have to be the voice of broad sectors of society.
Keeping in lieu, they formulate a ‘party’s manifesto’ to decide their principles and what action they want to take on particular issues that align with the demands at large.
Pakistan since the time of its inception has seen a deficit in the democracy with the unstable political administration. The restoration of democracy seemed to be a far-off cry for a number of years as the governments in the past have been forcibly removed, or compelled to step down.
It was not until 2008 that a democratic system stabilised and a ruling government completed its tenure following a transparent, democratic electoral process.
This opened gateways for democracy to be applied at every tier of the society including the political parties themselves i.e. to have internal democracy and strong manifesto.
The manifestos of political parties are not the major influencing factor for the voters in Pakistan because of patronage-based voting patterns.
The parties manifesto provides tangible means for voters to assess and reward if political parties delivered on their pledges strengthening the nature of democracy, ‘Government of the people, by the people and for the people.’
However, another ideology that exists in the society doesn’t believe in ‘manifesto’ being the influencing agent in the voting patterns of the people.
Senior political analyst Dr Ayesha Siddiqua while talking to DNA said that, “the manifestos of political parties are not the major influencing factor for the voters in Pakistan because of patronage-based voting patterns.”
“People align themselves with the patronage system as to get socially adjusted with the current system in practice.”
A general perception is that parties’ tall claims and efforts they put in formulating a manifesto all goes into vain. The promises made to be fulfilled in the designated timeline aren’t fulfilled leading to peoples mistrust in the parties and the administrative system.
In 2013 prior to the general elections country’s top leading parties formulated a manifesto which was meant to be implemented once parties come into power.
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) which clean sweped the general elections also won the majority of the seats in the Punjab Province governing the federation and the province simultaneously. The party formulated a much acclaimed ‘manifesto’ claiming to reduce inflation, increase growth rate, combat crippling energy shortages, accelerate agriculture growth and raise literacy level.
With almost three and a half years of being in power till date majority of the promises could not be fulfilled.
DNA spoke to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Information Secretary Mushaid Ullah Khan, to comment on the same.
“PML-N has been in power for only three years and during this tenure, we have been working on our manifesto in fast pace”
“The government was given the country in deplorable conditions and it was only until we came into power that today every sector has witnessed significant improvements,” Khan added.
According to the federal FY budget 2016-17 report, the GDP growth target was missed, agriculture sector witnessed a downfall and literacy rate is still below average.
Mushaid Ullah Khan while talking to DNA said that, “It’s still time for us to complete our tenure and it’s too early to draw any conclusions and judge our administration and working aligning to our manifesto.”
Moreover, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a party that couldn’t manage to win the majority of the seats on a federal level but managed to clean sweep in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The party promised to eradicate corruption, improve provisional law and order situation, restore the local body system and optimum utilisation of the budget.
Resultantly, the 90-day promise to remove corruption at every tier from the province still stands un fulfilled, terror activities are still on a verge and strategic use of budget has been ignored.
Party’s leadership promised a proper democratic system within the party but the intra-party elections presented a different picture as the elections were rigged.
Hence, Party’s tall and loud claim in the manifesto seems to be of no good today.
DNA tried reaching out to PTI’s member for comment on the same but the party member didn’t repond.
Moreover, Pakistan People’s Party the ruling party in the Sindh province stands in the same league of not meeting the set targets.
“All political parties only want power, they bash other government and look after themselves rather than the public good,” Siddiqua added.
The current scenario proves a huge dichotomy between what was said and what is being done.
-PARTIES INTERNAL DEMOCRACY-
Without parties, democracy cannot function and when public confidence in political parties is compromised, the entire democratic process suffers.
Political parties’ internal democracy plays a crucial role in a democratic state because its absence leads to the national democratic system becoming hostage to few individuals.
Therefore, the quality of democracy within political parties has an undeniable impact on the overall quality of democracy.
The present internal democracy of the political parties is certainly questionable. The democracy demands them to have frequent intra-party discussions, intra-party elections, regular change in party’s leadership shifting from dynastic leadership and credible party accounts.
However, the current practice goes against what the demand calls for.
The ruling government PML-N failed to conduct intra-party polls on frequent bases and neither could manage to eradicate the dynastic leadership.
Moreover, according to the Pildat survey PML-N stands at the 9TH rank being the least democratic political party.
Mushaid Ullah Khan said that, “the country has a really fragile democracy and this fragility has a reciprocal effect on the PML-N internal democracy.”
“The intra-party elections are due in August (this month) and having said that the masses must realise that a mature approach towards democracy (internally and externally) would take time.”
Analysing PTI and PPP’s internal administration also has loopholes when assessed in the parameters of democracy.
Ayesha Siddiqua while talking to DNA says, “It takes a while for system to anchor and currently everyone is struggling for power”
“We don’t have culture of democracy till date and electoral politics is considered whole under the vast realm of democracy”
Speaking at large, politic parties formulate a people-centric legislature being the primary institution of the state.
Without parties, democracy cannot function and when public confidence in political parties is compromised, the entire democratic process suffers.
Therefore, the parties must ensure internal democracy as its presence would make politics and democracy more compelling.
Ayesha Siddiqua while suggesting a way forward for improved conditions states that, “A better ideology based system in over all political system and intra-parties system is the only hope for better democratic governance.”
Now that the democracy has been restored in the country and democratic institutions are proving themselves in playing a legitimate role, it is important that political party strengthens their internal democracy and fulfil the promises they make in their manifesto.
