Promises and purposes

A list of repetitive promises does not make up a manifesto.

The Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians (PPP-P) manifesto, which was launched  at a press conference in Islamabad, and read out by the PPP-P president, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, as expected, emphasises empowerment for the poor. And, in fact, goes back to the slogan which still brings the PPP-P many of its votes today: roti, kapra aur makaan. It also speaks of putting people with less wealth in parliament and in rather poetic language, talks of tackling militancy, the energy crisis and all kinds of other problems.

As would be predicted, the party, which has ruled since 2008, mentions in some detail its achievements over this period including various schemes intended for the poor and other projects which leaders of the party flanking Mr Faheem stated had achieved a great deal. This, of course, is the way party manifestos go. The PPP-P has also blamed provinces for failing to make use of the powers devolved to them and dealing with problems which include law and order and the power shortfall. This, of course, is partly true, but it is also a fact, as provinces have said repeatedly, that they lack both resources and experience to tackle such major problems.

The main issue though is that a list of promises does not really make up a manifesto. Most people in the country have come to realise that such slogans are virtually meaningless in themselves and that a great deal more is needed if their lives are ever going to change. It is also a fact that manifestos figure only at election time and are more or less cast aside after this. No one really refers back to them or to the pledges made in them. But manifestos mean more than this. Merely saying it intends to serve the poor and going back to nostalgic slogans which emphasise this, really achieves little purpose. Actual action is required and this is what people across the country yearn to see from the political leadership after they cast their ballots.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2013.