ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Sunday launched its manifesto ahead of the upcoming national elections, promising a “new social order” in the politically and economically troubled South Asian country.
Pakistan, a country of more than 241 million people, is scheduled to hold national elections on Feb. 8, with 17,800 candidates running for 266 National Assembly and 593 provincial assembly seats. A total of 128.5 million voters will be exercising their right to vote in the elections.
But the elections have been marred by allegations of pre-poll rigging and a lack of level playing field, mainly by the Khan-led PTI, whose several top leaders have either been arrested or driven underground, in the wake of a crackdown since May, when Khan supporters staged violent demonstrations over his brief arrest in a graft case.
In its election manifesto launched on Sunday, the PTI announced a comprehensive strategy to overcome persistent challenges facing the country by addressing societal divisions, establishing a truth and reconciliation commission, and ensuring uncompromising justice.
“All powerful institutions to be made subservient to serve the nation as defined in the constitution of Pakistan,” the PTI highlighted among salient features of its proposed social order. “All to be equal in front of law.”
Since his ouster in a no-trust vote in April 2022, Khan, who rose to power in 2018 with what political analysts say was the support of the military, has maintained the generals had conspired with Washington and his political rivals to end his term. The military, Khan’s opponents and Washington have denied the claims.
The ex-premier, who is in jail since August on graft charges, has since waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the powerful military, which has directly ruled Pakistan on many occasions.
In its manifesto, the PTI promised to restrict the role of state institutions to “service only,” enhance local governance, ensure inclusive education and affordable housing and austerity in all spheres of government, if it was elected to power in the elections.
The party said it would provide lands to farmers, launch an aggressive energy exploration program for the energy-starved nation, and ensure the rule of law for equal rights.
“PTI commits to diversifying the judiciary by appointing judges based on merit, diversity, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic background. Special emphasis will be placed on increasing the number of female judges for a balanced gender perspective,” it said.
The party said it would promote local industry, take export enhancement measures, ensure growth of the IT sector and digital economy, expand health care technology and infrastructure, enhance systemic liquidity and debt management, and launch various agricultural, educational and other initiatives to steer Pakistan to the path of development.
A day earlier, the PTI urged its election candidates to hold rallies across the country on Sunday to mobilize voters ahead of the national polls.
“Tomorrow on Sunday, all of you should take out rallies across the country in a peaceful manner,” Barrister Gohar Khan, the current PTI chairman, said in a message to the party’s election candidates. “Take your [election] symbols to the people so that the people can recognize them.”
Pakistan’s top court earlier this month upheld a decision by the country’s election regulator to strip the PTI of its electoral symbol, a cricket bat. The move came as a major blow to Khan’s party, whose nominees will now contest polls as independent candidates.
Gohar said the right to hold election rallies was guaranteed by Pakistan’s constitution and urged PTI-backed candidates to hold rallies to demonstrate the party’s support among the masses.