The 12-point manifesto was unveiled by party chief Aftab Ahmad Sherpao.
PESHAWAR: The Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) revealed its 12-point manifesto on Sunday at the Peshawar Press Club. It focused on the need for peace and economic prosperity.
The manifesto pledges good governance and the establishment of peace. It aims to achieve these goals by addressing the energy crisis, creating new federal units, empowering women and resolving the problems of people from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), among other points.
As QWP chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao unveiled the manifesto, he also condemned the recent attack on an Awami National Party (ANP) candidate in Charsadda.
Sherpao appealed to the government to ensure an environment conducive to political parties to campaign freely.
The manifesto further envisaged restoration of sustainable peace by building national consensus around terrorism and militancy, and by introducing a policy framework to identify their root causes.
It underscored the need for enabling proactive and civilian-led initiatives to address the problems of violence, intolerance and militancy.
“No effort would be spared to implement the election manifesto in letter and spirit if voted to power,” vowed Sherpao.
According to the manifesto, the party will initiate a three-tier good governance programme through public participation, transparency, accountability and access to information.
Talking about generating revenue, the QWP chief stated the party believed in the constitutional framework which determined the rights of the provinces on resources generated within their boundaries. He said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the biggest producer of hydel power, however, despite constitutional guarantees, it remains deprived of its due share in the net hydel profit.
Recognising the energy crisis as a major problem, Sherpao outlined the energy shortage will be levelled by attracting investment in the energy sector – mainly hydel and coal-based power generation.
“The current ratio of 30:70 percent [hydel: oil] will be reconfigured to 50:50 to improve the balance of payments due to oil imports.” The energy production sector would be diversified by tapping alternative sources of energy such as solar, wind and bio-gas.
Post-conflict Needs Assessment Recommendations, the Malakand Comprehensive Stabilization, Socio-economic Development Strategy and the Sustainable Development Plan for Fata are some of the development projects which will be keenly pursued.
If voted in, the QWP will gradually increase the education budget from 2.2% of the GDP to 5% and will encourage public-private partnership in health facilities to make it profitable for healthcare to become accessible to all.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.
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Election manifesto soon after elections not before? This is called real politics at the lower level.