PTI to launch election manifesto on July 9

Imran says judgement in Avenfield reference should not be delayed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan formally approved party’s manifesto for 2018 general elections, which is likely to be released on July 9.

The committee for the party’s manifesto comprising Dr Shireen Mazari, Asad Umar, Naeemul Haq, and others have drafted the manifesto after consulting with first-tier PTI leadership.

Earlier, Imran Khan had announced that the party manifesto will be unveiled in the first week of July. However, due to his tight election campaign schedule, it has been decided to release it on July 9.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have made their manifestos public already.



A senior PTI leader said that party’s “comprehensive” manifesto will cover issues ranging from country’s sovereignty, foreign policy, poverty alleviation, economic, tax, judicial, police, constitutional, administrative and institutional reforms, corruption and accountability, governance, human development, education, health, population welfare, low cost housing, youth and women empowerment, environment and tourism, agriculture, land and labour reforms, information technology, internal and external security, etc.

Senior PTI leader Abdul Aleem Khan said that people were expecting a conclusive and riveting manifesto by PML-N but it was an utter disappointment again with fake promises.

“Vandalising provincial resources for a decade, PML-N is now dreaming to be voted into power again”, he observed, adding Shehbaz Sharif’s tall claims of progress had been washed away in the recent rainfall in Lahore. “Emotional speeches, hollow slogans and paid campaigns cannot save the House of Sharifs from the accountability now,” he said.

PTI rejects delay in judgment

Imran Khan extended well wishes to Kulsoom Nawaz and said that Nawaz Sharif had been using his wife’s illness to emotionally blackmail people of Pakistan. He demanded that the court should not delay announcement of judgment in the Avenfield reference.

An accountability court is scheduled to announce Avenfield reference verdict on Friday (today). However, Sharif family has sought seven-day delay in the announcement of judgment, citing deteriorating health situation of Kulsoom Nawaz.

“Kulsoom was not your priority when you (Nawaz) were carrying out G.T Road rally. Now when judgment is about to be announced you are saying to wait for my return. Do not wait for him. Judgment should be announced at its time,” Khan said.

He said that Sharif family had already been given over two-year time to prove their innocence but failed miserably. “Law is equal for all and it does not discriminate between poor and rich. Do such facilities ever extended to ordinary Pakistanis facing corruption allegations?” he questioned.



He also criticized National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) decision that it would not arrest politicians facing corruption inquiries till the next general elections in a bid to provide level playing field to all contesting candidates. “By making such decisions we are making Pakistan a banana republic,” he said.

Khan said that Nawaz Sharif would not return and read the judgment in newspapers. He added that Adiyala Jail was waiting for him.

He said this while addressing party workers on the occasion of former PML-N senator Zafar Ali Shah joining PTI.