Written by: Hareem Nauman and Huba Shahid
In the lead-up to Pakistan’s forthcoming elections, voters are bombarded with party manifestos, each promising dramatic change and success for the country. However, the common voter may struggle to understand the full consequences of these manifestos. In this article, we will delve into the complexities of the manifestos offered by various political parties, evaluating their strengths and faults to provide readers with a thorough knowledge. We hope to allow voters to make informed decisions that reflect their goals and hopes for Pakistan’s future.
Let’s begin by highlighting the main striking points of different parties’ manifestos and then discuss their pros and cons.
Let’s start with PML-N’s manifesto.
The PMLN’s extensive list of initiatives focuses on modernization, development, and progress across sectors like governance, economy, education, healthcare, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and social welfare. They emphasize technology, governance efficiency, economic growth, and empowering marginalized communities for a prosperous Pakistan.
These are a few shortlisted striking points from 51 pages of PMLN’s Manifesto.
| All jail hospitals in the province will undergo a one-time revamping, including provision of new equipment | Partner with the dynamic and resourceful Pakistani-American diaspora, to bring Islamabad and Washington closer | Ensure a “whole of government” working environment, when dealing with foreign policy issues | Continue Rs 2 billion Film Finance Fund annually |
| Upgrade the Skardu Airport to international status | Crackdown against all forms of hate-speech, verbal, visual, and written against religious minorities | Legislate to ensure that no case is continuously leftover / not heard for a period exceeding maximum two months. | Transforming MoIT&T into Ministry of Digital Economy. |
| Bring LEO Satellite internet services into Pakistan to provide low-cost internet services to far-flung mountainous areas of Pakistan. | Replace every electricity meter with an AMI/smart meter across the country to reduce theft and ensure accurate billing. | Establishing linkages between national and provincial poverty alleviation initiatives with local government institutions. | National Environment Conservation Awareness-Raising Campaigns focusing on energy, water, solid waste management and air quality Early Warning System |
PPP Manifesto:
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has released a manifesto aimed at addressing socio-economic challenges and promoting inclusive development. The agenda includes increasing minimum wage, job creation, affordable electricity, green energy solutions, university establishment, free treatment for chronic diseases, empowering marginalized communities, strengthening healthcare, promoting gender equality, and promoting regional stability.
These are a few shortlisted striking points from 64 pages of PPP’s Manifesto.
| Introduce subjects such as environmental literacy and civic education to prepare students for responsible citizenship | The PPP plans to introduce legislation for social protection for digital platform workers, including extension of social security coverage under the Workers Welfare Fund and Employees Old-Age Benefit Institute. | Waseela-e-Haq (WEH) programme to provide micro loans to women with a view to enhancing small businesses and entrepreneurship among the underprivileged to break out of the debilitating poverty cycle. | Establish a university in every district of Pakistan. |
| Lady healthcare workers (LHWs), already established successfully by SMBB, will be empowered and trained for house visits on advocacy for the value of educating girls on informal training/education. | Establishing IVF Centers: Specialized In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) Centers will be established to provide infertility treatment services. | Gender Specific Data Collection: Gender-specific data will be collected to understand women’s economic contributions in agriculture, home-based work, and domestic labor, enabling the implementation of safer safety mechanisms. | Expansion of Pink Bus Service: Drawing aspiration from novel idea of Pink Bus Service in Karachi, we aim to expand this transportation initiative to facilitate girls pursuing their education without hindrance. |
| Protection of Journalists: The PPP will fully operationalize federal legislation on the protection of journalists will be fully operationalized and encourage provinces to enact similar legislation where necessary. | Day Care Centers and Children in Domestic Service: The PPP will set up Day Care Centers for children to facilitate working mothers and impose a complete ban on employing children in domestic service | Autism The PPP aims to raise awareness and promote early intervention for over 350,000 Pakistani children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neglected health issue.. | Boosting Diverse Aquaculture: PPP is committed to prioritising freshwater shrimp farming, saline water fish farming and adopting modern technology in land fishponds, to enhance sustainability of the aquaculture sector. |
| Village Electrification Policy: Considering solarization through mini-grids for villages and towns to ensure a load-shedding-free environment and reduced maintenance costs. | Financial Devolution: Implement financial devolution at the facility-level, ensuring transparency and affordable medicine prices | Infrastructure Resilience: PPP will integrate all significant infrastructure investments with climate-proofing measures to enhance resilience against floods, droughts, and extreme weather events. | Sustainable Forest Management: We will prioritise implementation of policies for sustainable forest management aimed at preserving wildlife, reducing deforestation and species depletion, and enhancing mangroves to protect fish nurseries. |
PTI:
PTI’s manifesto aims for governance based on transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. It advocates for justice system innovation, media freedom, and whistleblower protection. The manifesto also emphasizes anti-corruption strategies, economic policies, social welfare protection, resource management, and environmental sustainability. It also advocates for peaceful foreign affairs and peace-building efforts. The vision is to foster prosperity and inclusivity for all Pakistanis.
These are a few shortlisted striking points from 169 pages of PTI’s Manifesto.
| A Video Justice System for Remote Aid | Organize public hearings | Policy Development Informed by Experience | Community Involvement and Accessibility | The PTI manifesto advocates for a competitive work environment through “Pay for Performance,” adjusting salaries based on individual performance and inflation rates. | |
| Transparency, Accountability, and Electoral Process Integrity | Holistic Exports-Led Growth Strategy: PTI’s holistic approach aims to transform wealth generation through an exports-led strategy | Support for Local Newsrooms: | Support for Independent Journalism: | Environmental Policy for a Sustainable Pakistan: | |
| Supply Based on BTU | Mortgage Simplification and Urban Redevelopment: We aim to streamline mortgage processes, permitting liens to facilitate ownership transfer and reduce land-carrying costs. | Telemedicine: We will promote the use of telemedicine, especially in underserved areas. | Traffic Management Systems | Mental Health Support | |
| Green Roof Tops and Vertical Forests | Satellite Towns in Strategic Location | Cultural Sensitivity | Reorganization of Debt Management Office | Interesting Textbooks | |
| Adopting Data-Driven Decisions | Foreign University Partnerships | Combatting Plagiarism | Aviation and Shipping | Local Wind Turbine and Hydro Manufacturing Facilities | |
Political party manifestos outline ideas and priorities in government, economics, social welfare, the environment, and foreign policy. By evaluating these, voters can better grasp each party’s vision and how it aligns with their own principles. This informed decision enables individuals to vote for leaders who are devoted to meeting the nation’s needs and guiding it towards a brighter future. As Pakistan approaches a critical juncture, it is each voter’s responsibility to critically assess these manifestos and actively participate in defining the country’s future.
