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ISLAMABAD: With the general elections rapidly approaching, the leading political parties have yet to formally unveil their election manifestos, Dawn has learnt.
The five mainstream parties, including PML-N, PPP, PTI, MQM-Pakistan, and JUI-F, are reportedly finalising their manifestos, expected to be announced within the next month. An exception is Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which has already prepared and disseminated its manifesto, although a formal declaration is still pending.
However, interaction with mainstream political parties indicates a shared emphasis on economic rejuvenation, tackling soaring inflation, and empowering local government autonomy in the forthcoming elections, scheduled for Feb 8.
PML-N
When contacted, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, who heads the PML-N’s manifesto committee, told Dawn that different committees of the party were giving their input in the making of the PML-N’s election manifesto regarding agriculture health, economy, education, climate change and social uplift of the people.
Mr Siddiqui said he had tasked PML-N leaders Musaddiq Malik and Marriyum Aurangzeb to keep in touch with the party’s committees to finalise the draft manifesto.
“We will present the draft soon to the party supremo Nawaz Sharif and will get feedback before finalising the document,” he added.
PPP
Nayyar Bukhari, PPP’s secretary general, agreed that there has been a slight delay in announcing the party manifesto but added that it would be prepared soon.
“We have formed our committee comprising party’s senior leaders Taj Haider, Sherry Rehman, Shazia Mari, and Ms Quratulain three months ago and it is putting the finishing touches to our election manifesto,” he added.
Mr Bukhari said the committee had sought reports from the party’s committee on different sectors—economy, labour, health, agriculture, etc.
He, however, said the PPP’s election manifesto was encircled by its old slogan of roti, kapra aur makaan (food, clothing and shelter).
JUI-F
JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghauri said his party would also use its old manifesto for the coming polls with slight changes. However, he insisted that people did not vote on the basis of manifestos but on political tilt and affiliation.
“Party manifesto matters in the West where people vote on the basis of manifestos. Here, people follow politics of inheritance where a man contests elections from a seat vacated by his father and grandfather,” he added.
He said his party wanted the enforcement of Shariah and Islamic laws enshrined in the Constitution. “We want true implementation of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution,” he added. He said JUI-F would present its election manifesto during its countrywide election campaign, which is to be kicked off soon.
PTI
PTI’s spokesman Rauf Hassan said the party had almost finalised its manifesto for the polls and it would soon be announced in a ceremony in the federal capital.
“Although we have an intact vote bank and we don’t need an election manifesto, we are still presenting it to unveil our future line of action,” he added. “It will be a comprehensive document that focuses on our priorities.”
MQM-P
Zahid Malik, a senior leader of MQM-Pakistan, said his party had almost finalised its manifesto, with the main theme being the empowerment of local and district governments in the country.
He said the MQM-P believed that citizens’ problems could not be solved at the grassroots level without independent district governments.
Mr Malik said his party had decided to only ally with parties that supported its cause.
Jamaat-i-Islami
Jamaat-i-Islami spokesman Muhammad Shamsi said the party had prepared its election manifesto but had yet to formally announce it in the media.
He shared the document with Dawn which focuses on an Islamic Pakistan, a strong economy, prosperous provinces, independent local bodies, cheap food for all, justice for all, jobs and residence for all, education and health for all, accountability for all, independent foreign policy, well-off women, prosperous labourers and farmers, well-off youths, well-off minorities and strong defence.
In its manifesto, JI recalled different resources of the country, ills in the society and its own achievements in politics.
The document said the Jamaat wanted to change Pakistan’s economic, social, and political systems. It insisted that the country’s system should be based on the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), like in the Islamic state of Madinah.
In the document, JI emir Sirajul Haq appealed to the people to vote for the party in the coming elections and make Pakistan a developed and prosperous country. “I hope that people will put great confidence in JI and give it a chance to serve them,” he said.
Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2023
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