PTI unfolds elections manifesto, party proposes change to tenure of assemblies, Senate

ISLAMABAD, Jan 28 (SABAH): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf released its election manifesto on Sunday in Islamabad with party chairman Barrister Gauhar Ali Khan saying that they have been denied a level playing field.

The party chairman also lamented the ‘harassment’ of the party’s candidates. “Such tactics are against the law and the Constitution, and are akin to obstructing the people.”

“If every day you obstruct the will of the people, what will and can we predict about February 8,” said Barrister Gauhar. He requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure equal rights for all. “The equal rights are not just for parties, but also for all candidates.” He added that the PTI is the “country’s largest political party” and yet is it is not being allowed to campaign for the upcoming polls.

Revealing the party’s manifesto, Barrister Gauhar said if PTI comes into power again, they will make constitutional amendments to change how the prime minister is elected. The party intends to have the country’s premier directly elected by the people and the term of the assemblies will be changed from five years to four years.

Gauhar also promised to form a truth and reconciliation commission to address the injustices faced by the common man. Reiterating the party’s mantra of bringing change, he added that a glorious future and getting rid of the inadequacies of the past is the new manifesto of PTI. “Our manifesto is one nation, one law, equality for all as there cannot be two laws in one country.”

He said the PTI insists on the rule of law, and whether criminal or civil, the laws of the country are “outdated”. Gauhar further said the party will protect the fundamental rights of the people by bringing changes to criminal law and introducing a new system for investigations.

Detailing another constitution change, the party chairman said the tenure of the Senate will also be reduced from six years to five years, with half the senators being directly elected by the people.

The chairman also added that it was necessary to get rid of corruption and promised that PTI would introduce an initiative that would keep a stricter eye on the issue.

A day earlier, the PML-N unveiled a cautiously optimistic economic manifesto in a bid to strike a balance between high hopes of the people and harsh ground realities concerning the country’s dire financial straits, setting mostly achievable goals without unravelling the economic stability.

Some of the goals are largely in line with the five-year projections given by the International Monetary Fund in its staff report released this month. But the manifesto is silent on the questions of the new IMF bailout package and the treatment of a mounting public debt.

The budget and the current account deficit goals suggest that the PML-N, if voted to power, might be thinking of going into an IMF programme.

The party also reneged on its promise to give free electricity to those consumers who are consuming 200 units monthly.